President Joe Biden signed an executive order on February 24 launching a review of supply chains for critical and essential goods. Following recent disruptions in the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and semiconductors, the administration aims to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and prevent future shortages. The order requires federal agencies to assess supply chain risks, including gaps in domestic production capacity, dependence on foreign suppliers, and single points of...
China Market Intelligence
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February 24th, 2021
President Biden has inherited a complex set of China policies, many of which were made during President Trump’s final months in office and aimed at undermining China’s interests. While Biden may technically have the power to quickly reverse many of the Trump-era policies and executive orders, doing so is politically difficult given pressure from both Republicans and Democrats to take a hard line on China.
February 24th, 2021
A year into the Phase One agreement, the Biden administration is mulling over the deal’s future. Last month, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the agreement, which is set to run for an additional year, is “under review” as part of a broader examination of Trump-era China policies. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen noted in her written follow-up to her confirmation hearing that officials are “closely monitoring” China’s adherence to its commitments, “including both the purchase...
February 10th, 2021
China’s National Health Commission (NHC) has begun a national COVID-19 vaccine campaign. While multiple vaccine trials are still underway, two vaccines developed by Sinovac Biotech and Sinopharm have already been approved for deployment. For many local and multinational businesses alike, there is confusion about available vaccinations under the national scheme, which covers all Chinese citizens but does not explicitly cover foreigners.
February 10th, 2021
Congressional interest in the US approach to China has surged in recent years, resulting in an influx of China-related legislative proposals during the 116th Congress—over 550 bills and resolutions in just 2 years. While 15 proposals were enacted either in standalone legislation or government spending packages, the majority saw no movement.
February 10th, 2021
In March of 2021, China will articulate its cyber priorities within the 14th Five-Year Plan. Recent announcements from Chinese officials promoting technology self sufficiency, becoming a global model in digital technologies, and selectively opening the tech sector to foreign investment provide an early indication of what may be key focus areas in 2021. China is also expected to update two high-profile draft laws, which may pose challenges for multinational companies operating in China.
January 27th, 2021
After years of reports of forced labor and wide-scale internment of the Xinjiang Uyghur population, on January 19, the outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo formally labeled the situation a genocide. The decision reflects the continuous pressure exerted by the 116th Congress on the administration to address human rights concerns in Xinjiang, including a Senate resolution expressing that the Chinese government’s actions amount to genocide and urging the administration to address the issue...
January 27th, 2021
President Biden has inherited multiple US policies taken under the Trump administration to limit US investment in Chinese firms. In particular, a law on US listing standards and an executive order on companies affiliated with China’s military threaten to remove Chinese companies from US exchanges and more broadly, prevent US investors from holding securities of a growing number of Chinese companies. During its final days, the Trump administration pushed for fast implementation of these...
January 27th, 2021
China made several personnel changes at both the central and provincial level over the last few months. China’s previous two ambassadors to the WTO, both of whom worked on the China side of Section 301 consultations, were called to perform leadership duties at the Ministry of Commerce.
January 13th, 2021
On December 30, the European Union (EU) and Chinese government announced that they had agreed in principle to a bilateral investment treaty, the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), after 7 years of negotiations. The agreement appears to make modest progress in market access for EU investors in a few sectors, but does not appear to introduce dramatic changes to or openings in China’s commercial environment.
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Phase One Tracker
We are tracking over 150 commitments—several of which had never been offered before—on items ranging from market access to improving intellectual property rights protection and administrative reforms.
USCBC In The News
Double act will pay dividends
| China Daily |
03/01/2021
US home crises tie Biden’s hand on diplomacy
| Global Times |
02/23/2021
