Australia approved $24bn Chinese property investments in 2014–15, double the value in the previous year, reflecting surging demand for overseas real estate even as Beijing’s economy cools.

澳大利亚在2014-15年度批准了240亿美元来自中国的房地产投资，比上年增加一倍，反映出即便中国经济降温，中资对海外房地产的需求仍飙涨。

Figures published over the weekend by Australia’s foreign investment review board also show increases in the value of approvals for Chinese investments in agriculture, finance and manufacturing. China is Australia’s biggest foreign investor with A$46.5bn approvals, almost double the number two-ranked US’s A$25bn. Total foreign investment approvals were A$194bn last year, up from A$167bn in the year to end-June 2014.

澳大利亚外国投资审查委员会(FIRB)周末发布的数字还显示，获批投资于澳大利亚农业、金融和制造业的中资也有所增加。中国是澳大利亚最大的外国投资者，获批金额总计465亿澳元，几乎两倍于位列第二的美国（250亿澳元）。去年获批的外国投资总计1940亿澳元，高于截至2014年6月底的上一年度的1670亿澳元。

China’s investment in the US and Europe is also at record highs, underlining Beijing’s growing importance in supporting global growth and as a source of inward investment.

中国对美国和欧洲的投资也处于创纪录高位，突显北京方面在支持全球经济增长和作为外来投资来源方面的重要性与日俱增。

The Firb data suggest fears of waning Chinese flows because of slowing economic growth, increasing capital controls and tighter Australian regulatory scrutiny may be overdone.

澳大利亚外国投资审查委员会的数据似乎表明，对于中国资金流入因中国经济增长放缓、资本管制加强以及澳大利亚监管审查收紧而减弱的担忧可能过头了。

However, economists caution that the data, which covers the period to end-June 2015, misses any recent slowdown in foreign property investment. Moreover, not all approved deals materialise: a study of completed deals by KPMG and University of Sydney found Chinese investment in Australia, excluding residential property, fell to US$8.35bn in 2014, from US$9.19bn in 2013.

不过，经济学家们告诫称，这些数据截至2015年6月底，错过了近期外资对澳大利亚房地产投资的放缓。此外，并非所有获批的交易都会真正实现。毕马威(KPMG)和悉尼大学(University of Sydney)对完成交易的一项研究发现，若剔除住宅物业，中国对澳大利亚的投资在2014年降至83.5亿美元，低于2013年的91.9亿美元。

“There is evidence that the Chinese authorities are placing informal or de facto controls on people attempting to take money out of the country and this may be having an impact,” says Saul Eslake, an independent economist. “It may be one of the reasons that recent data covering the past six months shows a fall off in building approvals for new apartments. Banks have also tightened lending requirements on all investors and this is probably a factor.”

“有证据表明，中国当局正对企图把资金转移到境外的人士实施非正式或事实上的管制，而此举可能正在产生影响，”独立经济学家索尔•埃斯雷克(Saul Eslake)表示。“这可能是覆盖过去6个月的近期数据显示新公寓建筑审批大幅下降的原因之一。银行也收紧了针对所有投资者的放贷要求，这很可能也是一个因素。”

This week Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s prime minister, will follow in the footsteps of other world leaders by leading the country’s largest trade mission to China. Together with 1,000 business executives he will focus on increasing Australia trade with China, which was worth A$150bn in 2015.

本周澳大利亚总理马尔科姆•特恩布尔(Malcolm Turnbull)将跟随世界其他领导人的脚步，亲率澳大利亚最大的贸易代表团访问中国。在1000名企业高管的陪同下，他将聚焦于扩大澳中经贸往来；2015年澳中贸易规模达到1500亿澳元。

However, the trade mission takes place amid growing public unease about the rising tide of Chinese investment in residential property, public infrastructure and agriculture which has prompted Canberra to tighten foreign investment rules and boost scrutiny of deals.

然而，澳大利亚贸易代表团访华之际，澳大利亚公众对中资不断涌入该国住宅物业、公共基础设施和农业日益不安，来自中国的投资激增已促使堪培拉方面收紧外国投资规则，并加强对具体交易的审查。

In November Canberra blocked a proposed A$350m purchase of S Kidman & Co — a company controlling Australian farmland that is three quarters of the size of England — by Shanghai Pengxin, citing concerns about the scale of the land deal and proximity to a missile testing site.

去年11月，堪培拉方面阻止上海鹏欣收购基德曼公司(S Kidman & Co)——该公司控制的澳大利亚农场面积相当于四分之三个英格兰——的3.5亿澳元交易，并说明理由是担心这笔土地交易的规模及其靠近一个导弹试验场。

Last month Canberra responded to security concerns raised by the sale of Darwin port to Chinese company Landbridge by requiring Firb approval for future infrastructure sales by states.

上月，堪培拉方面对达尔文港被租给中资的岚桥集团(Landbridge)所引发的安全担忧作出回应，要求未来各州出售基础设施须由外国投资审查委员会审批。

But many remain bullish about Chinese investment continuing in residential property.

但是，许多人仍然看好中国对澳大利亚住宅物业的投资。

“China’s immense pent-up demand for international property is driving this trend,” said Charles Pittar, chief executive of Juwai.com, one of China’s biggest international property websites. “China bears who claimed Chinese investment was falling off a cliff are badly informed.”

“中国对国际物业的巨大被压抑需求正在推动这一趋势，”中国最大的国际房地产网站之一“居外网”(Juwai.com)的首席执行官查尔斯•皮塔(Charles Pittar)表示。“声称中国投资正在掉下悬崖的看跌中国者消息太不灵通了。”

This wave of Chinese money flooding into the Sydney and Melbourne property markets has sparked a debate over the impact on the local housing market. Some say it is forcing up prices and preventing first time buyers from buying houses or apartments. Others say it is driving a building boom, which is supporting an economy suffering from the commodities bust.

涌入悉尼和墨尔本房地产市场的中国资金洪流，引发了围绕其对当地楼市冲击的辩论。有人说中资正在推高价格，阻止当地的首次购房者购买独立屋或公寓。还有人说，中资正在推动一场建设热潮，支撑着正在遭受大宗商品低迷冲击的澳大利亚经济。

Canberra has stepped up scrutiny of overseas buyers, ordering the sale of 27 properties worth A$76m, which it says broke laws requiring foreigners to receive regulatory approval for purchases of existing properties.

堪培拉方面已经加大了针对海外买家的审查力度，强制海外买家出售27处物业，总价值7600万澳元，称这些交易违反了要求购买现有房产的外国人获得监管批准的法律。