Amazon Japan

MNCs in the News-2019-07-05

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announces China plans to create a better environment for foreign direct investment (FDI) in China. China’s financial opening leads various foreign investors to move to take control of their China joint ventures (JVs). Chinese outbound mergers and acquisitions (M&A) volume for the first six months of 2019 is the lowest since 2013. During a visit to China, Turkey’s President works to attract Chinese FDI and take advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). With the activities of information technology giants gaining increased Japanese government scrutiny, the Japan unit of Facebook joins Keidanren. Japan’s export curbs on semiconductor materials bound for South Korea due to their dispute over forced labor compensation could pressure Samsung and the broader Korean economy. Japanese export controls on high-tech materials and chemicals used in South Korean semiconductor and smartphone manufacturing will stress Korean companies already feeling market and trade pressures. After a gathering between United States (US) President Donald Trump and the heads of major South Korean business groups, some Korean firms stated they would boost their US investments.

MNCs in the News-2019-05-24

China’s Cyberspace Administration releases draft document stating, “operators of the country’s critical information infrastructure…will be required to take into account national security risk when purchasing foreign products and services.” A recent European Union (EU) Chamber of Commerce in China survey suggests the problem of forced technology transfers in China has worsened. The US is considering cutting off the flow of American technology to five other Chinese firms putatively because of these companies’ role in supporting Beijing’s actions in Xinjiang. With the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aiming to become a major China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner, China’s East Hope Group conglomerate contemplates $10 billion port investment there. China’s chargé d'affaires in London warns if Huawei banned from Britain’s 5G network there might be “substantial” repercussions for Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United Kingdom (UK). The Japan unit of US e-commerce giant Amazon has decided to stop direct sales of all Huawei products through its online store. Mizuho Financial Group Inc. said it will tighten standards for lending to coal-fired power plants with high emissions of CO2. Renault Samsung workers in Korea reject draft wage and bargaining agreement which may lead to an “indefinite all-out strike” that drives the joint venture’s upcoming XM3 production to Spain. Iraq’s Ministry of Petroleum awards Korea’s Hyundai Engineering and Construction a $2.45 billion contract to build a seawater supply facility in Iraq.