logo
Why Chinese investors can still expect a warm welcome in many American cities

Why Chinese investors can still expect a warm welcome in many American cities

Most local government officials in the US still welcome Chinese-invested projects despite a rise in trade tensions this year, a Chinese chamber of commerce leader said this week as potential investors weigh up economic benefits and geopolitical risks.
City leaders want Chinese investment to help stimulate their local economies, especially in manufacturing projects that are hard to source elsewhere, said Ni Pin, chairman of the China General Chamber of Commerce branch in Chicago.
'There are a lot of people who want to come over here,' he said. 'They are more concerned about geopolitics. The question is, 'are you welcome here?''
Chinese manufacturers see the potential to make money in the wealthy United States market, he said, and US President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports have increased the urgency for companies to produce in the US for domestic sales.
Ni said that 'yelling and screaming' by national-level political leaders had deterred some investors from applying for investment permits because they feared that American officials at the local level would also prefer they stay away.
In the Midwestern states of Illinois and Wisconsin, mayors are 'very receptive' to Chinese investment, said Ker Gibbs, a partner at American business advisory Foresight Restructuring, citing personal contacts in the region.
The mayor of Wausau, a city in Wisconsin with a population of 40,000, is explicitly looking for Chinese investments linked to agriculture and possibly the automotive sector, given that industry's prominence in surrounding parts of the Midwest, Kerr said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Will US tariff pressure on Japan and South Korea push them closer to China?
Will US tariff pressure on Japan and South Korea push them closer to China?

South China Morning Post

timean hour ago

  • South China Morning Post

Will US tariff pressure on Japan and South Korea push them closer to China?

Even as Washington ramps up pressure on Japan and South Korea to settle trade disputes with the US, diplomatic observers believe tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump are not likely to push its two Asian allies closer to Beijing. However, they suggest that the trade tensions could create an opportunity for China to offer stronger incentives to enhance trilateral cooperation with Tokyo and Seoul. The assessment was made following US announcements that reciprocal tariffs on Japan and South Korea had been raised to 25 per cent , effective from August 1. Zhang Yun, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University, said that tariff tensions might bring the three countries to develop closer ties, but Tokyo and Seoul would not abandon their alliance with Washington. 01:42 Trump imposes 25% unilateral tariffs on Japan, South Korea amid slow negotiation progress Trump imposes 25% unilateral tariffs on Japan, South Korea amid slow negotiation progress He added that the pragmatic and less ideology-driven characteristics of Japanese and Korean leaders pushed them to pursue stable ties with China, which would be inclined to offer further incentives to promote economic cooperation.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store