FedEx

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.

Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard's picture

The WTO and China: Still of Relevance for Foreign Investors?

China has been a World Trade Organization (WTO) member for almost thirteen years. The titanic battles over its admission to the globe’s leading international economic organization have long passed. While some were anxious about China’s WTO accession, many were exuberant. They foresaw new markets for the goods they manufactured outside and inside China, new opportunities to invest in China’s automobile, banking, insurance, telecommunications, and wholesaling sectors, and better protection of their intellectual property (IP).