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Wed 12 Dec 2009China looks to Sweden as stepping stone to gain foothold in west
AFTER A HANDFUL of efforts to reverse into established markets by taking over failing firms like Rover or Korea’s Ssangyong, China is setting its sights on the expensive but underperforming jewels of Sweden’s industrial crown to gain a foothold in the west.
China is aiming to consolidate its regionally scattered network of car makers into a small group of tightly run, competitive auto firms that can compete internationally. To engineer these cars, Chinese firms are buying up troubled foreign auto makers or their technology. Sweden is the latest port of call for the cash-rich, technology-poor Chinese.
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