BERLIN -- Germany and Britain are by far the most popular investment destinations of Chinese investors, a study showed on Friday.

According to the study of the economic consultancy Ernst & Young published Friday in Dusseldorf, Chinese investors have made 25 acquisitions in 2013 in Germany and Britain respectively.

Overall, buyers from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong have taken over 120 companies and shareholdings in Europe in the past year, said the study.

According to the study, the interest of Chinese companies in Europe has increased significantly over the past 10 years, as the number of transactions has more than tripled.

In 2004, only 34 investments from China in Europe were counted, whereas, the number with 119 acquisitions in 2012 is almost as high as in 2013.

The study also said that Chinese investors has preferences for certain industries in Europe.

Buyers from China are particularly interested in consumer goods industry with 21 percent in 2013, while the automotive industry accounts for 13 perecnt.

They also made investments in the areas like real estate industry with 10 percent and 8 percent in energy supply, 7 percent in trade and technology, 6 percent in financial industry and 5 percent in metal processing as well as transport and logistics.

In other industries, Chinese investors carried out a total of 24 acquisitions in Europe.

Chinese investors are interested in Germany primarily for industrial companies, in particular for machine manufacturers and automotive suppliers.

China is the second largest non-European investor in Germany after the United States, and came in sixth place of foreign investors in Germany after the United States, Britain, Switzerland,France and Austria, the study said.