Two to three of the Chinese firms, including Shandong Gongyou Group, a machinery manufacturer based in the eastern province of Shandong, are expected to list in Germany in the first half of next year, the newspaper said.

The companies are mainly involved in the auto parts, new energy, telecoms, consumer electronics, media, e-commerce and other technology sectors, Alexander Graf von Preysing, an official at Deutsche Boerse, told the newspaper in an interview.

"Listing in Germany will provide those companies planning mergers and acquisition s in Europe the access to euro financing," Preysing was quoted as saying, adding that Germany's listing costs are "relatively low."

Officials of overseas stock exchanges, such as those in Seoul and Singapore, have made frequent visits to China to woo listing candidates as foreign interest in Chinese equities rises, fueled by China's break-neck economic growth.

Stock traders sit in front of the German Stock Index (DAX) display at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany. [AP]

More than 100 Chinese firms have listed in Singapore. The Korea stock exchange has been knocking on the doors of many Shandong-based enterprises in the past year, Korean securities sources and a Chinese investment banker told Reuters.

Hong Kong is increasing efforts to lure more privately-owned Chinese companies in the booming southeastern Chinese province of Zhejiang .

Chinese securities officials have recently expressed concerns about the potential massive loss of Chinese companies to foreign bourses, urging local exchanges to take measures to beef up their competitiveness.

"The competition for market resources is sharpening in Asia and the world's capital markets," Tu Guangshao, vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission , told a seminar in Shanghai this month.

"Our stock market is flushed with liquidity and the situation will remain the same for the next few years. We must seize the great opportunity to develop our market," Tu said.

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