In recent years, Chinese enterprises have accelerated their overseas expansion, with Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe (CEE/SEE) emerging as a new investment hotspot due to their unique geographical advantages and market potential. On June 24, 2025, Chance Bridge Law Firm jointly organized the seminar 'Investing in the CEE/SEE region Opportunities and Risks for Chinese Investors' with the renowned law firm Wolf Theiss. The event was conducted in a hybrid format (combining online and offline participation), focusing on investment prospects for Chinese enterprises in the CEE/SEE region. It provided in-depth analysis of opportunities and challenges in high-growth sectors such as renewable energy and automotive manufacturing, delivering crucial legal and commercial insights for overseas expansion.
At the seminar, four partners and senior counsels from Wolf Theiss—Christian Mikosch, Anna Rizova, Janos Toth, and Adina Aurel—served as keynote speakers. They delivered presentations on business opportunities, investment policies, and regulatory environments in key CEE/SEE markets, including Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania. The speakers also addressed questions from attendees on legal compliance and investment risks, providing actionable strategies to capitalize on market opportunities and mitigate cross-border challenges. The event attracted many entrepreneurs and business leaders to participate both in-person and online.
Ms Zhu Ning, managing partner of Chance Bridge Law Firm, delivered a welcome address at the seminar, expressing her warmest welcome and sincere gratitude to all the distinguished experts, corporate representatives and partners in attendance. She introduced the senior partner team from Wolf Theiss, highlighting their extensive practical experience in key CEE/SEE markets.
Investment Opportunities in the CEE/SEE Region
China-CEE investment cooperation has flourished in recent years. In 2024, Chinese investment in the region further expanded, with Hungary alone accounting for 31% of China’s total FDI in the EU and UK—surpassing Germany, France, and the UK combined (20%). For the second consecutive year, Hungary ranked as China’s top FDI destination in Europe. The CEE/SEE region’s unique geography makes it a strategic hub for sectors like renewable energy, EVs and battery manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, logistics, agribusiness, and digital infrastructure. As trends such as nearshoring, the green transition, and regional innovation incentives accelerate, global investors are increasingly recognizing the region’s importance. These shifts are creating unprecedented opportunities in the CEE/SEE region. As evident in several recent major events, Chinese investors—particularly in strategic infrastructure, new energy, and manufacturing—are becoming increasingly active.
Risks and Challenges in CEE/SEE Investments
While the opportunities are alluring, distinctions in the contexts of the CEE/SEE region and common investment region such as Western Europe need to be noted. Investors must count for varying market maturity, distinct degrees of deal processes standardization, and the importance of local partnerships. The different national FDI screening regimes as well as the uniform but relatively newly enforced EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) shall be considered carefully. Additionally, growing compliance obligations are also reshaping due diligence and financing structures in the region.
During the Q&A session, speakers addressed pressing topics such as Sino-European collaboration in new energy vehicles, cross-cultural talent management, potential impacts of U.S. sanctions on Chinese investments in Europe, and customs clearance challenges for Chinese businesses in CEE/SEE. The seminar served as a platform for in-depth market understanding and fostered meaningful dialogue among participants.
Cross-Border Securities and Financial Markets
Capital markets is one of the core areas of expertise of Chance Bridge. In cross-border equity financing, Chance Bridge has provided comprehensive legal services in connection with all aspects of cross-border legal services such as overseas listing, securities issuance and refinancing, cross-border M&A, overseas ESOP, equity structure setup, transaction scheme design, etc. Such services cover companies from a broad range of industries including big data, semiconductors, IT, medicine/medical equipment/medical institutions, education and training, military, real estate, cultural media/film and television, machinery manufacturing/processing, light industry/papermaking, chemicals/pesticides, non-ferrous metals, transportation, home appliances, energy, electronic equipment, electrical equipment, energy management, and environmental protection.
With deep and comprehensive understanding of international financial trading practices and domestic and foreign financial laws and regulations, our team consistently provides clients with practical legal solutions. Team members are particularly skilled at leveraging the resources of our global network and combining domestic and foreign laws, regulations, and regulatory requirements, to help clients to operate in accurate, efficient, and compliant manner, tailored to their business characteristics, business models and actual needs.
Cross-Border Investment
Cross-border investment, financing, mergers and acquisitions are among the earliest and most active business areas of Chance Bridge and we have a team focused on this area. All team members have studied overseas and have a deep understanding of China’s laws, markets, and culture along with those of many key overseas markets. We have years of experience in providing cross-border legal services, especially in capital markets, banking and finance, government regulation, infrastructure, and engineering construction. This enables our firm to thoroughly understand the demands and working habits of foreign and Chinese enterprises, and effectively communicate to them the possible legal risks in mergers and acquisitions transactions. At the same time, we can assist clients in effectively communicating with counterparties and organically cooperating with other service agencies to provide clients with a full range of legal services.
Cross-Border Compliance
The International Trade and Compliance Team of Chance Bridge is one of the earliest Chinese legal teams to engage in WTO, international trade, and compliance services. It primarily represents the Chinese government, industry associations and import-export companies in responding to overseas litigation, including anti-dumping, countervailing, anti-circumvention, trade compliance, import-export control, economic sanctions and WTO disputes.
Our services cover a wide range of countries and regions, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Eurasian Economic Union, Malaysia, Turkey, etc. We have expertise in various industries such as electric vehicles, steel products, photovoltaic industry, non-metallic products, chemical fibres and textiles, light industry, chemical raw materials and products, electromechanical products, food, agricultural products, rubber products, plastic products, furniture and specialised equipment.
Through years of practice, our team has established close and fruitful relationships with investigative agencies, government agencies, industry organisations, and foreign lawyers in many countries and regions. With a bespoke professional division of labour and close teamwork, the International Trade and Compliance Team is capable of providing high-quality international legal services to enterprises.
Cross-Border Dispute Resolution
Dispute resolution is a core practice area of Chance Bridge, and our team of litigation and arbitration specialists excel in terms of cross-border dispute resolution matters. Our litigation team is able to provide full services in English, French, German, Japanese and other foreign languages and can draw upon our global network of partner law firms around the world to provide related support at all stages of the litigation and arbitration process.
We have extensive experience providing legal services for numerous large multinational companies in cross-border cases and developed exceptional capabilities in key categories of complex litigation in connection with sophisticated transactions.