battery sector

MNCs in the News-2019-09-27

At an event in the United States (US), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed China’s opening, the value of its new foreign investment law, and its improving negative list. Chinese analysts criticized a European Chamber of Commerce in China report for blaming the woes of European firms in China on China’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) rather than the highly competitive business environment in China. The joint investment fund between China’s China Investment Corporation and US bank Goldman Sachs has only recently made its first investment due to problematic the problematic political environment. China Power International Holdings concludes memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Norway’s SOE energy producer Equinor for cooperation in renewable energy. Japan concludes MoU with European Union calling for cooperation on infrastructure, transport, and digital project and the need for projects to be environmentally and fiscally sustainable. Japan and Indonesia sign a deal for a more than USD $4.2 billion medium speed train project which is partially politically motivated. Korea’s trade war with Japan is fueling the development of domestic supply chains and the reshoring of Korean firms. Concurrent with Korean President Moon Jae-In’s visit to the US many Korean companies announced their investments in the US.

MNCs in the News-2019-09-06

On the eve of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to China, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) reports German foreign direct investment (FDI) in China grew more than 60 percent over the first seven months of 2019 year-over-year. Chinese media delivered some packaged criticisms against FedEx for the latter’s alleged shipments of controlled goods and rerouting of packages destined for Huawei. Relatively small-scale protests took place in three Kazakhstan cities against potentially questionable Chinese factory FDI. The United States (US) concludes declaration with Poland for the rigorous evaluation of foreign suppliers involved in 5G networks which some see as directed at China and Huawei. Nissan considers leaving Korea as Korea-Japan frictions make its challenging situation there even worse. Uniqlo partners with the International Labor Organization (ILO) to support research on labor markets and social security systems in some of its production hubs in South and Southeast Asia. Korean economic difficulties due to frictions with Japan encourages Hyundai union to settle with management without a strike. Korean government official meets with LG Group and SK Group executives to try to get them to resolve trade secrets dispute that LG Chem has brought to the US International Trade Commission.