Foreign companies operating in China say tensions with Washington over technology, trade and other issues and uncertainty over Chinese policies are damaging the business environment and causing some to reassess their plans for investing in the giant market.
The results of surveys released Tuesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China largely concurred in appealing for greater certainty and clarity over China’s stance toward foreign businesses.
“For decades, European companies thrived in China, benefitting from a stable and efficient business environment. However, after the turbulent past three years, many have reevaluated their basic assumptions about the Chinese market,” Jens Eskelund, the EU Chamber’s president said, in a letter that accompanied the report.
That’s a feature not a bug. China is vague about their laws because then people self-censor because they don’t know where the line is. It’s a classic trick of authoritarian regimes. Anyone doing business in China should understand you do so only because the CCP has decided to allow it and they can change their mind at any point for any reason. You have no rights there, and if you forget that they will definitely remind you. Or remind whoever they replace you with.