Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announces China plans to create a better environment for foreign direct investment (FDI) in China. China’s financial opening leads various foreign investors to move to take control of their China joint ventures (JVs). Chinese outbound mergers and acquisitions (M&A) volume for the first six months of 2019 is the lowest since 2013. During a visit to China, Turkey’s President works to attract Chinese FDI and take advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). With the activities of information technology giants gaining increased Japanese government scrutiny, the Japan unit of Facebook joins Keidanren. Japan’s export curbs on semiconductor materials bound for South Korea due to their dispute over forced labor compensation could pressure Samsung and the broader Korean economy. Japanese export controls on high-tech materials and chemicals used in South Korean semiconductor and smartphone manufacturing will stress Korean companies already feeling market and trade pressures. After a gathering between United States (US) President Donald Trump and the heads of major South Korean business groups, some Korean firms stated they would boost their US investments.
