China firms' going global gives Singapore major hub role

2016 was the year that Chinese companies truly went global. Collectively, they announced over US$225 billion of acquisitions abroad - more than double the total announced in 2015.

While a large part of Chinese foreign direct investment - whether acquisitions or other types of investment - will be infrastructure-focused, that will not be the only sector that benefits.

In recent years, China's focus has shifted from buying what the country needs to what it wants; it has gone from basic resources to assets such as brands and technology that cater to the demands of an affluent consumer society.