Moves by Brussels and Berlin to thwart high-profile Chinese takeovers yesterday are the latest sign of stiffening resistance in the west to investment from Beijing that has scuppered the lion’s share of nearly $40bn in planned Chinese acquisitions since mid-2015.

Most have fallen foul over competition and security issues, such a takeover target’s proximity to a key military base, and have prompted some western governments to consider new regulatory procedures to probe Chinese deals.

The $40bn total, compiled by boutique investment bank Grisons Peak, does not include proposed takeovers of Swiss agribusiness Syngenta and German semiconductor company Aixtron for $44bn and €670m, respectively. Both faced problems yesterday following reviews by the EU and Germany.