China’s inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) shows a slight decline in May year-over-year (YOY), though the figures for the first five months of 2016 showed a moderate increase (YOY). Chinese Premier Li Keqiang tells German officials and executives that China plans to improve the investment environment for them as well as others. In China, German Chancellor Angela Merkel calls for independent judiciary and level playing field for foreign firms. XpressWest unilaterally terminates its contract with China Railway International for the construction of a high-speed railway linking Las Vegas and Los Angeles. China National Chemical Corp. (ChemChina) resubmits its Syngenta deal to the Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. for national security review. South Korean investigators descend on Lotte Group in connection with allegations of a slush fund. Korea and Azerbaijan agree to expand economic cooperation in areas like investment and infrastructure. South Korea plans to reform government-run energy companies to improve their financial soundness and operating efficiency. Indonesia and Japanese oil giant Inpex reach a deal on the multi-billion dollar Masela onshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant which may bring more new opportunities for Japanese business to invest in Indonesia. Japanese firms look very favorably upon Vietnam as an investment destination.
