PR often crucial step in foreign M&A deals

Educating officials, public can mean difference between success, failure

Chinese companies are seeking mergers and acquisitions in virtually every corner of the world. Their successes - and a few high-profile failures, especially in developed economies - highlight the importance of public relations.

Executives of large Chinese companies, while having the wind at their backs in the domestic market, have struggled to win the hearts and minds of stakeholders abroad in environments where they are often out of their depth.