In many cases, it is about small businesses, purchases from restaurants and technology companies, for example. But in some cases, the government revenues of the Chinese-owned companies have amounted to many millions, and some business groups stand out.
The various companies in the Volvo Cars group, which is owned by Chinese Geely, have invoiced authorities in total over two billion in the years 2016-2021.
The employment service is one of many authorities invoiced by Volvo.
– It is about different transport solutions that we need in authorities. Cars, carpools and car hire, explains Martin Kruse, Director of Purchasing and Market at the Employment Agency.
Large sums on commuter trains
At the same time, the figures in turn pale in comparison to another actor with Chinese ownership: the train operator MTR, which in recent years has been able to count billions of dollars every year from, among other things, Stockholm’s local traffic where it runs commuter trains.
In total, MTR has invoiced over SEK 30 billion from Swedish authorities during the period 2016-2021.
Neither MTR nor Volvo wanted to participate in any interview with SVT. Both companies emphasize that they are privately owned companies, but experts say that you cannot draw the same sharp line between private and state-owned companies in China as in, for example, Sweden. This is especially true following the 2017 Chinese Security Law which states that all Chinese persons and organizations are required to assist China with information.
