Integration remains a significant challenge. It requires an appreciation on the part of Chinese companies of local political, legal and cultural differences, and a good understanding of their own culture and value system.

Apart from economics, Chinese companies must determine what they can and should do to enrich the communities where they invest. A good indicator of success is the extent to which locals identify themselves with Chinese investments and their culture, and the long-term benefits those investments bring to the community.

Pre-investment, many Chinese companies still face a relatively time-consuming decision-making process, which is a longstanding issue and becomes a greater obstacle when fast-paced transactions are involved. For example, in the case of auctions, regulatory approvals are required for outbound investments, and it can be difficult for a Chinese company to make a successful bid in time.

Post-investment, integrating the overseas company into the parent company often involves practical issues such as headquarters in China having the appropriate staff that can be transferred to work onsite overseas, or being able to effectively merge its corporate culture into the overseas company, which may not understand Chinese corporate culture. Often, two to three years after the deal closes, the overseas company is still not properly integrated and continues to operate as an independent company.