China

China and US will exchange revised Negative Lists pursuant to their Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) negotiations. China undertakes various initiatives to bolster the e-commerce sector in China including opening the sector to foreign investors. Chinese steel companies contemplate investment in Southeast Asia, pushed by government and pulled by host country attractions. Taiwan’s Hon Hai will build vertically integrated supply chain in India to tap into Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” scheme. Japanese development agency, Japanese companies, and Myanmar work together on training initiative to lay a foundation for future railway investment opportunities. Indonesia works to court Chinese and Japanese investors in labor-intensive and export-oriented areas. Outward investment from Singapore plummets 78.1 percent year-over-year in first half of 2015

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in China in May increases by 7.8 percent year-over-year (YOY). New York Times expects Chinese leaders to take heed of foreign business opposition to proposed restrictive Chinese policy measures. Cisco touts plan to invest US $10 billion in China to fund innovation, equity investment, and research and development. China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) may turn its attention to cases similar to Qualcomm where there is suspect abuse of intellectual property rights (IPR). China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology expands opportunities for foreign investors in e-commerce sector. Stabilized bilateral political relations prop up Japanese FDI in China while China’s less appealing economic prospects and labor issues spur a decline. China’s outward FDI continues to surge with massive increases in Chinese FDI in the EU. Australian government touts investment benefits of recently signed China-Australia Free Trade Agreement

KFC seeks to roast those making false charges against it. China’s proposed law for controlling nonprofits has potentially severe negative ramifications for foreign business associations. European Chamber of Commerce in China challenges the draft National Security Law and its potential negative implications for China. China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is drafting guidelines pertaining to the abuse of intellectual property rights (IPR). China’s State Administration of Taxation acts to create supportive tax treaty environment for Chinese firms overseas. China National Cereals, Oils, and Foodstuffs Corp. (COFCO) states it will commit resources and manpower to support China’s Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative (MSRI). Korea Fair Trade Commission looks into questionable sales practices by Volkswagen Korea. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) disrupts Korean government initiative to build closer investment, trade, and business links with the Middle East. Indonesia’s Investment Promotion Board gives greater attention to Japanese foreign direct investment. Vietnam moves to give United Overseas Bank a license to open a wholly foreign owned foreign bank.

The Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations (“Wong MNC Center”) was a sponsor of the Association of Chinese Political Studies’ 28^th Annual Conference and International Symposium on “China and Changing World Order” which was held at Peking University (China). The Wong MNC Center held its first sponsored panel on The Political Economy of China-Latin America Investment Relations during which Chilean Ambassador to China Jorge Heine, Dr. Enrique Dussel Peters (National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico), and Mr.