Trump Unveils MAGA Investment Policy
A defiant China fires back that it will ‘take its own measures’
The formal America First foreign direct investment policy issued by the Trump White House on February 21 is a belligerent double-pronged statement designed to further tighten the screws on already-diminishing Chinese investment in the US while seeking to ease investment barriers that other multinationals face.
As relations between the two superpowers continue to deteriorate, it drew an immediate response from the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing that "China will closely monitor the [American] moves and take necessary measures to defend its legitimate rights and interests.”
In contrast to its restrictions on China, the document suggests the creation of a fast-track review process for investments from allied and partner sources – friendly governments—although expedited review will only be available to investors who avoid partnering with foreign adversaries, potentially leading firms to reduce investments in China, or turn away from investing in the US. Any fast-track investment review process is also likely to raise the hackles of environmentalists and their lawyers, especially in high-risk ventures like mining…