THAAD

China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) to consider new draft law on foreign direct investment (FDI) that seeks to provide stronger legal guarantees to overseas investors. About 1/3rd of North American-based corporations on the CNBC Global CFO Council say Chinese companies have stolen their intellectual property (IP) at some point in the past ten years. Mirroring global trends, Chinese FDI in Europe fell drastically in 2018 and a recent survey suggests the European Union (EU)’s new investment screening framework likely will curb Chinese EU mergers and acquisitions even more. Italian economic development ministry official announces Italy is planning to join China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Faced with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.’s refusal to negotiate, South Korean plaintiffs who won a wartime forced labor case against the company file court request to seize the company’s assets. Toyota Motor Corp. announced last week it may pull out of production in Britain due to the likely increase of tariffs in the case of a no-deal Brexit. Hyundai Motor is considering suspending operations at its Beijing manufacturing plant partly due to plummeting sales and partly due to budding opportunities elsewhere. South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance reports Korea’s OFDI reached a record high in 2018 partly due to Korean companies going abroad to enjoy a better manufacturing environment.

Chinese drug approval authorities likely to approve several blockbuster foreign drugs in 2018. Hyundai Motor Group faces declining sales growth in 2018 in large part due to political and economic challenges in China. China State-Owned Assets Supervision and Advisory Commission (SASAC) to issue new guidelines to improve behavior of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in various areas. United States (US) Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) concerns leads China’s Ant Financial and US MoneyGram to terminate the former’s acquisition of the latter. Japan’s Toshiba Corp sells floundering US nuclear business Westinghouse, which went bankrupt after regulations and other factors stalled many of its projects, to Canada’s Brookfield. US legal process for Takata Corp.’s US unit coming to completion, which should allow company to make payouts to claimants who suffered from Takata’s faulty airbags. Korea urges US policy makers to reconsider the US International Trade Commission's recommended special tariff on imported Korean washers. Lotte Group struggling to shed its politically troubled Chinese hypermarket chain after talks with Thai conglomerate failed to produce agreeable sale price. Indonesia’s state-owned energy company Pentamina took back control of Indonesia’s largest oil and gas block helping Jakarta to expand its control over domestic energy production. Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board launches several measures to spur 10 to 14 percent year on year growth in FDI. Thailand’s Board of Investment expects FDI into its EEC to continue to grow as new EEC policies are implemented and foreign companies become familiar with EEC requirements. Chinese FDI into Malaysia is expected to move out of infrastructure and property development and into new sectors due to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Japanese Ambassador touts that Japanese firms have a good chance to win Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project. Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has set a new deadline for long delayed Chinese-funded Cat Linh rail project

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) notes possibility China may expand its negative list approach nationwide as early as 2018. State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) representatives encourage foreign investors to partake in China’s mixed-ownership reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). At the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United States (US) asks China to hold off implementing its cybersecurity law. US Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States opposition torpedoes Chinese bid to take a 10 percent stake in Dutch mapping company. Kobe Steel Ltd and US Steel Corp. to launch US joint venture to produce steel needed to build cars that meet their respective governments’ tightening emissions standards. Sumitomo has invested in Taiwanese electric scooter maker Gogoro to tap Gogoro’s advanced electronic battery technologies which are in increasing demand due to rising environmental standards. Unilever acquires Carver Korea as Korean makeup brand weakens due to declining sales in China resulting from THAAD tensions. Despite suffering from China’s THAAD related sanctions, Hyundai opens big data center in China to tap Chinese government’s promotion of connected cars. Indonesia's Transportation Ministry opens 12 infrastructure projects worth a total of USD $3 billion to foreign investors. Indonesia’s Indika Energy raises stake in large local coal producer after forced Freeport-McMorRan divesture and new Indonesian government policies drive Korea’s Samtan to reduce its stake in the country. Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance says equitisation progress of state-owned enterprises so far disappointing. World Bank and Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade collaborate to implement solar projects pilot auction program.

The China Insurance Regulatory Commission states China is moving to increase foreign involvement in the insurance sector. In conjunction with the latest BRICs meeting, State Grid of China touts its contribution to and presence in Brazil. Kawasaki Heavy Industries competing for USD $3.2 billion contract to build subway cars from New York’s state-run Metropolitan Transpiration Authority. Foxconn joins bidding process for Japanese chipmaker Toshiba’s USD $19.5 billion NAND memory technology. North Korea’s missile launch explodes USD $1.5 billion South Korea’s shipbuilding industry deal with foreign firm. Beijing Hyundai resumes operation at stalled Changzhou (China) facility, but the firm still faces many other challenges. Freeport McMoran to retain control over operations of Grasberg mine, with USD $750 million investment to be made next year. Indonesia urges APEC to boost cross-border investment by supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises. Thailand's small and medium-sized enterprises urged to invest in Mandalay, Myanmar because of favorable economic and political environments. Tien Phong Industrial Zone JSC and Russia’s Seaport of Azov sign memorandum of understanding to jointly build Vietnam-Russia Industrial Complex. South Korean investment in Vietnam continues to soar as tariffs reductions from the ASEAN-Korea free trade agreement slowly come into effect.

China’s State Council issues comprehensive guidelines in an effort to provide a more welcoming environment for inward foreign direct investment (FDI). Foreign firms increasingly fret about pressures to give more power to Chinese Communist Party organizations in their joint ventures. China’s Ministry of Commerce moves to restrain the sectoral and geographic destination of Chinese outward FDI (OFDI) while leaving the space for high-tech and Belt and Road Initiative OFDI. Chinese real estate firms will continue to have strong reasons for OFDI even though they have severely cut OFDI in 2017 due to government controls. Talks between Toshiba Corp. and government led consortium of American, South Korean, and Japanese investment entities break down. Russian moves to encourage investment on disputed Kuril Islands angers Japan. China sales by South Korea’s Hyundai and Kia down for the sixth month straight due to politics, market challenges and branding issues. China’s feud with South Korea over THAAD missile installation harming its own workers and firms. LG Electronics Inc. begins construction of USD $250 million home appliance manufacturing plant in the US following Trump administration’s move to foster a positive investment climate. Under siege at home, China’s Anbang Insurance Group struggling in South Korea and drawing more regulatory attention there. Indonesia’s PT Intra Asia signs memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s state-owned Coal and Resources department for USD $1 billion coal port. Trade delegation from the UK reaches out to Indonesian government in preparation for post-Brexit trade and investment agreements. Malaysia experiencing strong economic growth due to infrastructure projects the government is implementing across the country. PetroVietnam signs Memorandum of Understanding with Thailand’s Siam Cement Group’s chemical subsidiary to jointly build USD $5.4 billion petrochemical complex. Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment elaborates upon features of the country’s three new specialized special economic zones