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Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard's picture

Killing Chinese Life Sciences, Part III: Sequencing the DNA of US-China Ties

On September 9, the BIOSECURE Act, which this blog series has been covering since March, passed by a huge majority in the United States (US) House of Representatives.

A Somewhat Tightening Vise on US FDI in Chinese High-Tech: Death by 1000 Cuts… or So…

The United States (US) recently issued a “Final Rule” to implement President Joseph Biden’s August 2023 Executive Order titled “Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern.” They both target persons from the People’s Republic of China.

Making Signals out of Tesla Turns and its Implications for Foreign Firms

Tesla’s top brass, employees, and shareholders must be charged up about the surfeit of good news in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) over roughly the past three months after the world’s most famous electric vehicle (EV) firm hit a slew of potholes there. In late April, PRC Premier Li Qiang hosted Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Executive Director Jean-Marc F. Blanchard interviewed for FinanceAsia story on Implications of US Government Restrictions on Investment in China

On May 7, 2024, FinanceAsia interviewed Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard, Founding Executive Director of the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations about the implications of US government restrictions on portfolio investment in Chinese assets, the direction of American policy on investment restrictions, and the potential direct and indirect effect of restrictions on China. Dr. Blanchard forecast more American Congressional measures to restrict portfolio investment in as well as foreign direct investment (FDI) into China.

MNCs in the News-2020-September

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) issues rules relating to China’s long-discussed “unreliable entities” list. MOFCOM tells foreign companies not to worry about unreliable entities list as it is not targeted at any specific country or company. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation is preparing to launch an antitrust investigation into Google relating to Google’s alleged abuse of the Android mobile operating system’s dominant position. MOFCOM, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange issue report showing Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI) fell 4.3 percent year-over-year in 2019. Chinese outward FDI (OFDI) in the United States (US) plummets to record lows because of Covid-19 and US-China political frictions. Indian Minister says there will be no blanket ban on all Chinese mobile apps, nor will Chinese companies be excluded from 5G contracts for wireless equipment. The tightening of US restrictions on the export of semiconductors will have potent adverse effects on Japanese companies. Frictions relating to the fees Apple takes in conjunction with its App stores have sparked regulatory attention in Japan. Covid-19 and the resignation of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo are hindering the expansion of Japanese OFDI in Africa. Hitachi may terminate its multi-billion-dollar project in the United Kingdom (UK) to build two nuclear reactors because of a failure to obtain UK government support to cover rising project costs. Korean semiconductor firms will suffer big loss of business due to new US restrictions on the export of semiconductors to Huawei. Korea Fair Trade Commission apparently sends signal to Google that it is being watched for its app store fee collection practices. Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction led consortium wins $573 million railway project in the Philippines.

MNCs in the News-2020 May

China’s recently issued Guideline regarding its economy contains numerous favorable, albeit general, offerings for foreign direct investment (FDI). To retaliate against United States (US) exports controls against Huawei, China readies itself to add US companies to an “unreliable entity list” which may subject them to various sanctions. US Chamber of Commerce decries potentially excessive measures by US government to move supply chains away from China. United Kingdom looks to reduce Huawei involvement in its 5G network with Huawei potentially being removed from all telecommunications infrastructure by 2023. Chinese contractors plan to make substantial progress on Indonesia’s Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail over the balance of 2020. US pressure influences Israel to reject Hong Kong firm’s bid on strategically located, large-scale desalination plant. Japan categorizes firms into three groups as part of its effort to clarify what review processes apply to FDI pursuant to its Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act. New Japanese law requires technology companies operating e-commerce websites and apps to submit annual reports, notifications of contract changes, and establish complaint processes. In quest for supply chain resiliency, Japan will provide subsides to encourage Japanese firms to return to Japan or move to Southeast Asia. Realized inward FDI into Korea in the first quarter 2020 plunges over similar period last year due to shorter worker hours, higher minimum wages, and other factors. South Korean parliament passes legislation that likely forces content providers to share network costs with local internet service providers. US support for the Economic Prosperity Network raises fears among Korean companies they will be pushed to shift FDI to the US. Korean firm to make huge investment in UAE pipeline as part of its consortium’s winning bid.

MNCs in the News-2020-03-27

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) has issued more than 6400 force majeure certificates to help suppliers deal with their inability to meet their contractual obligations. Per China’s Ministry of Commerce, Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI) for the first two months of 2020 totaled USD $15.5 billion, a 1.8 percent year-over-year (YOY) increase. China’s MOFCOM reports that Chinese companies put $2.72 billion into 48 countries along the Belt and Road, an 18.3 percent jump YOY. Chinese construction companies prove adept at rapidly building hospitals in countries facing medical infrastructure challenges in coronavirus era. In the first defense product export deal since Japan eased its arms trade ban in 2014, Mitsubishi will sell air radar systems to the Philippines. In an atmosphere where automobile companies are expected to help by producing supplies to deal with Covid-19, Toyota North America moves to step up production of related goods. Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics get exemptions to send engineers to their plants in Vietnam. US International Trade Commissions released documents explaining its default judgement supporting LG Chem’s accusations of trade secret theft by SK Innovation.

MNCs in the News-2020-03-06

China assures foreign investors measures to “help firms resume operations and restore supply chains” disrupted by the coronavirus epidemic will treat “foreign and domestic companies equally.” Foreign intellectual property filings (invention patents and trademarks) in China show respectable growth in 2019 over the prior year due to legal, regulatory, and processing improvements. Beijing Kunlun on the verge of fulfilling United States (US) Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to sell Grindr. CFIUS reportedly has advised US President Donald Trump to block German firm Infineon, who counts China as a major client, planned purchase of Cypress Semiconductor. Japan’s Council on Investment in the Future contemplating ways to protect the economy from supply chains disruption in China caused by the coronavirus epidemic. The Japan Institute for Overseas Investment has concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with Zambia to join a network to facilitate FDI flows to Zambia. Korea Communication Commission develops arbitration proposal that might serve as a template for resolving conflicts between content providers and service providers. Vietnam to quarantine all visitors from South Korea potentially hindering Korean companies that are becoming increasingly prominent investors there.

MNCs in the News-2019-11-01

Chinese Vice Minister promises better treatment and protections for foreign direct investment (FDI), no forced tech transfers, and more rapid opening of financial sector. United States (US) contemplates new methods for increasing China’s protection of US intellectual property (IP) such as blacklisting repeat IP right violators. Chinese Ambassador in Malaysia stresses the needs for Chinese companies to deliver the goods as well as respect local laws and customs. Massive Laos high-speed rail project has many problems and multiple critics, but likely to continue given country’s desire to surmount its landlocked status. Japan’s Finance Ministry works to counter anxieties about Japan’s new FDI review regime by, among other things, providing more specifics. Toyota breaks with Honda about backing California’s new automobile emissions standards. Executives at Samsung Electronics and Samsung BioLogics faced serious accounting fraud charges relating to the revaluation of a stake in a US joint venture. Rising number of Korean firms in China report that they are increasingly affected by US-trade war.

MNCs-2019-10-04

China’s Financial Stability and Development Committee recently emphasized that the country will take further steps to promote “two-way financial opening.” Despite China’s general and targeted efforts to bring in more foreign investors, investors are holding back on investments partly because of China’s capital controls. It appears that Chinese venture capital (VC) flows into the US for 2019 will run even lower than 2015, a particularly abysmal year for VC investment. Iraq has said that it will sign on to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The Japanese government has submitted a bill to the Diet pursuant to which the threshold for reviewing foreign direct investment (FDI) in sensitive sectors will plunge from 10 to 1 percent. Japan-Korea parliamentary unions work to facilitate the resolution of Japan-Korea economic and political tensions, though their actual influence seems limited. Automobile production by foreign firms in Korea is plunging to post-Great Financial Crisis levels due in part to labor problems. US President Donald Trump tweets for joy about Hyundai Motor Group’s joint venture with Aptiv.

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