European companies\u2019 confidence in the Chinese market is showing signs of rebounding for the first time since 2022, as Beijing is increasingly perceived as a \u201cchampion\u201d of stability amid rising global volatility, according to a survey released on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
After years of spiralling pessimism, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China found that \u201cthe intensity of the deterioration in confidence in China\u2019s business environment has eased\u201d among its members over the past year.<\/p>\n
In the group\u2019s annual Business Confidence Survey \u2013 which polled more than 500 European firms operating in China \u2013 less than half of respondents said China\u2019s business environment had become more politicised, down from 52 per cent a year earlier.<\/p>\n
While 68 per cent of the companies surveyed said business conditions had become more difficult in China, that represented an improvement from last year, when a record 73 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, firms reported feeling more upbeat about their expectations for growth and profitability in the coming months.<\/p>\n