China remains1 a key market for European companies as its economic resilience and large domestic market are vital for them to stay globally competitive, according to a survey released on Monday by the China Council for the Promotion2 of International Trade.

About 19 percent of European companies said that they have expanded their production and business scale in China, while 65 percent said that they have maintained their current operational scale, the study said.

The survey interviewed nearly 160 European companies on issues related to their business outlook, investment climate and market conditions in the first half of 2022.

The vast majority of European multinationals3 are confident in the prospects4 of the Chinese market, said Sun Xiao, spokesman for the Beijing-based CCPIT.