The announcement by Theresa May that she will hold a General Election on 8th June 2017 heralds another period of intense interest by Chinese investors. As with all major political events, the short term effect is to stall investment as uncertainty about the outcome outweighs investment potential. Once the 'event' has occurred then it is back to business as usual albeit with potential for picking up assets at cheaper levels. One investor we spoke to had put £180m into residential investments just in the last six months based on Sterling's weakness and expects to continue looking for opportunities.

Uncertain future?

While the general opinion is that the Conservative Party will remain in power at the we still have some local issues to face that could drive perception of the UK as a safe haven for Chinese investors:

• 2017 Scottish referendum – Part 2?
• 2019 UK exit from EU

However, of the Chinese investors we speak to, this is unlikely to deter them from coming to the UK.

What is of greater concern is escalation of military activity between USA, North Korea and Russia which is destabilising the region. While China is being pushed towards the role of mediator, some investors are using this as a reason to accelerate their search for opportunities outside of the region. This is where the UK sits well given its relative stability and current neutrality in the two issues highlighted above.

Chinese investment into property and healthcare

As we prepare to host the First China UK Property and Healthcare MarketPlace on 5th May in London, we are uncovering fresh pockets of Chinese investor interest. As such, topics being discussed are trends in PPP (Public Private Partnership) in the UK and China, PRS (Private Rented Sector) vs Student accommodation, investment opportunities outside of London and value in the Care Home sector. You can join us in learning the latest insights into investment trends by registering here.