Germany attracted 854 foreign investment projects in 2012, up 3 percent from a year earlier, and Chinese money was invested in 98 of those projects, according to the German government.

China was the third-largest foreign-project investor in Germany, behind only the United States and Switzerland.

"More than three-fourths of Germany's foreign investments came from Europe . Asian investments account for the remaining 25 percent, where China is one of the most important Asian investors," Thomas Bozoyan, a trade expert, told German media .

Of all the Chinese projects, automobile and machinery accounted for 29 percent, while the energy sector was 22 percent, German data showed.