Yes, reshoring US industry is possible and happening – Asia Times

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Reshoring the British business has become a nonpartisan policy goal because Biden had a lot of interest in it. The concept has always been met with skepticism from a variety of angles.

Anything that involves tariffs and/or professional policies is viewed with suspicion by some economists and completely traders. And politics being what it is in America, both Republicans and Democrats have undoubtedly doubted the capacity of the other party to fulfill their promises. But in addition, I typically encounter a healthy skepticism about America’s skill to perform manufacturing&nbsp, at all.

Americans may be forgiven for having this idea. Most of our lived knowledge has either been the Rust Belt time of the 1980s, or&nbsp, the charged offshoring&nbsp, of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. America has not had a factory-building increase in a very long time.

On top of that, most people who take economics in America know only one theory of global business, which is the principle of&nbsp, analytical advantage&nbsp, — generally, the idea that countries specialize in whatever they are best at. Because of the decades-long trend, it’s reasonable to assume that America focuses on technology and service rather than producing real goods.

If you think that, you likely think that reshoring production will always be a difficult, if not impossible, task. Sure, with sufficient taxes and grants we could&nbsp, force&nbsp, Americans to get more expensive products made in America, but this will render us all poorer. Why not concentrate on what we appear to be good at and left manufacturing to the East Asians and perhaps the Germans?

And still the right way to think about business isn’t always the best one. There ‘s&nbsp, another theory&nbsp, that says that since America has tons of money and technology, we can accomplish a lot of automatic production. And there ‘s&nbsp, but another theory&nbsp, that says that because the universe loves multitude, the US can produce near variations of the stuff the Asians and Europeans make.

Since the turn of the century, the US has experienced underdevelopment, which may have been due to an overvalued exchange rate, intentional Chinese rivals, and US business laws that favored the financial industry over the manufacturing industry.

The common belief that Americans just aren’t good at making stuff seems contradicted by areas in which we are &nbsp, startlingly good at making stuff&nbsp, — for example, SpaceX, which is pumping out the world’s best rockets from US factories in stunningly high volumes. The American South has also become a hub of high-quality auto manufacturing, with the help of Japanese and South Korean investment.

If that’s true, then reshoring has a chance. Although the uncompetitive dollar will continue to be a major issue, tariffs and other trade barriers can prevent Chinese competition, and US industrial policies can switch from pro-finance to pro-manufacturing ones. In fact, this approach is already bearing fruit in a number of strategic industries.

Take&nbsp, solar power, for instance. The collapse of US manufacturing and China’s overwhelming dominance for years served as the industry’s main story. In&nbsp, an article in Bloomberg&nbsp, last September, David Fickling lamented:

The US and Europe’s disregard for their own clean-tech industries is the result of myopic corporate leadership, timid financing, oligopolistic complacency, and policy chaos. That left a gap that Chinese start-ups filled, sprouting like saplings in a forest clearing.

But even before that story hit the presses, things had already begun to change. In December, the Solar Energy Industry Association &nbsp, reported&nbsp, that US solar manufacturing capabilities are on the rise:

In 2017, the US ranked 14th in the world for solar panel manufacturing capacity. With a focus in the South, additional factories started popping up all over the nation with an emphasis on expanding existing facilities starting in 2018 and then accelerating in 2022. Today, the US has leapfrogged competitors and ranks 3rd in manufacture of solar panels, passing large solar manufacturing countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Turkey…A new report by SEIA and Wood Mackenzie found that the industry had reached a critical threshold:

US solar manufacturing has reached a critical point following a record-setting Q3. American solar module factories can now produce enough to meet nearly all the demand for solar in the US when they are at full capacity.

As more solar deployment happens, more manufacturing will come online…Companies are investing billions of dollars to produce American-made solar panels in states like Georgia, Ohio, Texas, Washington, South Carolina, and Alabama…]T] here are more factories on the way, either announced or under construction.

Although it is obvious that the US is still far behind China, this growing trend of production and self-sufficiency is very different from the typical narrative you hear. As the article notes, the reshoring of solar began in the late 2010s, under Trump, and may have had something to do with Trump’s tariffs on solar panels. A second round of tariffs, courtesy of Biden, went into effect near the end of 2024, and definitely seemed to have an effect on solar imports:

Source: &nbsp, Joey Politano

However, Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act was the real catalyst for solar reshoring:

Source: SEIA

For another example, look at&nbsp, semiconductors. I ‘ve&nbsp, written a lot&nbsp, about how the CHIPS Act has galvanized U. S. production in this most strategic of all industries, including major investments from Taiwan and elsewhere. This is from&nbsp, a recent report&nbsp, by the CHIPS Program Office:

Over the past four years, there has been more investment in electronics manufacturing in the United States than in the last three decades combined. Plans for investments totaling nearly$ 450 billion are now available, making this the largest wave of semiconductor manufacturing growth in US history. This includes the two largest domestic investments in semiconductor manufacturing by US companies in history ( Intel and Micron ), as well as the two largest foreign direct investments in new projects by any company in history ( TSMC and Samsung ) …Perhaps most significantly, for the first time, all five of the world’s leading-edge logic and dynamic random-access memory ( DRAM ) manufacturers ( Intel, Micron, Samsung, SK hynix, and TSMC) are building and expanding in the United States. In contrast, no other country’s economy has more than two of these factories working there…

The United States is projected to produce at least 20 % of the world’s leading-edge logic chips by 2030 (up from zero percent in 2022 ) and ~10 % of its leading-edge DRAM chips by 2035 ( also up from zero percent ) —both technologies that are essential to the future of artificial intelligence ( AI), high-performance compute, and advanced military systems. For the first time in nearly a decade, a new factory in Arizona has begun producing these technologies domestically. This is the first time in almost a decade that a new factory has done so.

And The Economist, certainly no friend of industrial policy in general, has &nbsp, grudgingly admitted&nbsp, that US reshoring of the semiconductor industry is succeeding:

Early returns are impressive: the]CHIPS Act ] programme has catalysed about$ 450bn of private investments. And this money is spread across much of the industry, from high-tech packaging to memory chips. The most advanced chips, which are less than 10 nanometers in size, are a key indicator of success. In 2022 America made few such chips. By 2032 it is on track to have a share of 28 % of global capacity.

Foreign direct investment, especially from Taiwan’s TSMC, has been significant in the case of US auto manufacturing a generation earlier.

In early 2024, some poorly informed pundits were writing stories declaring that” DE I killed the CHIPS Act”, while&nbsp, others were wondering&nbsp, whether Americans had a culture capable of making chips. Those articles were spectacularly ill-timed — obstacles were quickly overcome, and the factory is now&nbsp, pumping out 4nm chips. Those are, by at least some measures, the most advanced semidconductors ever made on American soil.

And what’s more, those chips are being made with yields ( i. e., quality ) that are &nbsp, comparable to, or even higher than, what Taiwanese factories get. The notion that American workers couldn’t produce high-quality goods proved to be incorrect.

The cost of the chips made in the US is a little higher ( about 30 % more right now ), but that price difference will likely decrease as the demand increases and the chipmaking experience spreads throughout the nation.

In fact, the reshoring effort is going so well that TSMC is&nbsp, now planning&nbsp, to build even more cutting-edge chips at its US plants:

The effort to reshore semiconductors has so far been a huge success.

Batteries&nbsp, look like a third reshoring success. Currently, most batteries are produced in China, but the Inflation Reduction Act may be&nbsp, starting to turn things around:

Source: &nbsp, Canary Media

It’s not just factories being announced, either, production in the US is way up:

Source: &nbsp, Joey Politano

The reshoring of the solar, chip, and battery industries is direct criticism of the critics and evidence of American manufacturing’s viability.

Although these are only three different types of industries, they will undoubtedly facilitate the reshoring of those that are either producing these manufacturers or using their own resources. American reindustrialization isn’t just about a few key tentpole industries — it’s about a whole web of suppliers, customers, related industries, and talent.

Fortunately, we can already see this web starting to form in the US SEIA&nbsp, reports&nbsp, that America’s solar manufacturing boom isn’t just limited to the panels themselves, but related industries like solar tracker, solar inverters, and upstream materials production like wafers and ingots.

Meanwhile, the CHIPS Program Office&nbsp, reports&nbsp, that the semiconductor boom also includes downstream activities like packaging and testing. The Economist&nbsp, points out&nbsp, that this ecosystem, as well as the talent that gets developed for the CHIPS Act’s projects, will reduce costs and help sustain future expansion of chip manufacturing in America:

The subsidies have reduced the cost of building and running fabs in America by about 30 % compared to those in Asian nations. Because Asian governments give companies more money, their costs are lower in part.

However, Asian producers have also benefited from dense manufacturing clusters, which have well-trained workers and a large supply chain nearby. The goal is that CHIPS in America has initiated this process. ” It’s enough to get the flywheel going”, says ]outgoing Commerce Secretary Gina ] Raimondo.

Currently, it is largely a matter of political will and decency whether reshoring continues. If Donald Trump continues to criticize the solar industry or follows through on his previous threats to revoke the CHIPS Act, production could significantly shift back to China.

It would be ironic if a president who came to power and promised to revive American industry ended up being the one who put an end to our industrial revival.

This article was first published on Noah Smith’s Noahpinion&nbsp, Substack and is republished with kind permission. Become a Noahopinion&nbsp, subscriber&nbsp, here.

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From 60% to 10%: Is Trump’s China tariff proposal a softened stance or tactical move?

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CRITICAL BATTLEGROUND: SEMICONDUCTOR CHIPS

While tax talks continue to dominate worldwide headlines, experts say the real battlefield is systems, silicon microchips in particular which power anything from electric vehicles to smartphones, computers and satellites. &nbsp,

The slender but potent chips have long been at the center of the US-China business war, which has been fueled by China’s drive for semiconductor independence and US efforts to thwart China’s access to cutting-edge chip-making technology. &nbsp,

According to Jing Qian, co-founder and managing director of the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis,” the US-China tech war will probably get worse as Washington tightens import controls and Beijing pushes harder for semiconductor self-reliance.” &nbsp,

China has previously launched what experts believe to be its strongest counterretaliation against US antitrust laws, which were also used in Beijing’s well-known investigation against US intel Nvidia.

China’s business government launched a probe into US device exports on January 16 to find out if US device producers were receiving unfair advantages through incentives and grants. &nbsp,

According to a government director,” Companies have been exporting related mature-process device goods to China at low prices, thereby favoring the legitimate interests of the local market.” ” The concerns of China’s domestic industry are reasonable and they have the right to request a trade remedy investigation” .&nbsp,
 
The analysis was a strong and” calculated response” from Beijing to US laws, Jing said, one that “leveraged China’s substantial market size and manufacturing capacity to assert itself as a communicator of similar standing”.

According to Jing,” These actions are a part of a wider plan to unwind US companies and influence policymakers ‘ choices,” as well as cautioning that they also come with risks. &nbsp,

” Heightened compliance fees, regulatory uncertainty and worries of arbitrary enforcement may deter foreign investment and hinder technological cooperation, probably undermining China’s long-term goals”, he added. &nbsp,

China’s antitrust laws have “grown stronger” in recent months, noted Chen.

According to Chen,” Antitrust investigations are intended to uncover and correct anti-competitive behaviors or violations of merger conditions.” &nbsp,

According to China, they must maintain a foundation in antitrust principles in order to avoid undermining transparency and stumbling investor confidence.

According to him,” Escalation only makes sense for Beijing if forceful responses impede further adversarial policies or put pressure on Beijing to reverse existing US measures,” he continued, adding,” I do not believe China needs to enshrine antitrust laws to ( put ) foreign companies at a disadvantage.

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Commentary: China has invested billions in ports around the world. This is why the West is so concerned

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Army Issues

Washington has expressed concern over these actions that China is challenging US effect in its own backyard.

China maintains that its maritime politics is oriented toward the business. Yet, it has established a naval base in Djibouti, a strategically placed American society. Additionally, it is alleged that Equatorial Guinea is developing a new marine center.

According to a recent review by the Asia Society Policy Institute, plan experts believe China is seeking to “weaponise” the Belt and Road Initiative.

In order to accomplish this, it has one way in mind: making the business ports it invests in be as effective as naval bases. 14 of the 17 slots in which it holds a lot stakes have the potential to be used for marine purposes so much. These ports may then fulfill a dual purpose: they support the Taiwanese military’s logistic network and help Chinese naval vessels to travel farther away from home.

US officials worry that China might use its influence on private companies to stifle industry during a time of conflict.

HOW IS THE WEST Listening?

While China’s assets are raising concerns, the West’s determination to invest in ships at this level is limited. The US International Development Finance Corporation, for example, has a little slower, comprehensive approach for its investments, which usually leads to better outcomes for both investors and sponsor nations.

However, some European firms are acquiring stakes in organized and newly built slots in other countries, albeit not to the level of Taiwanese enterprises.

The European shipping and logistics business CMA CGM’s world port development method, for example, includes investments in 60 terminals abroad. In 2024, it acquired power over South America’s largest vessel switch in the Port of Santos, Brazil.

Trump has threatened to impose taxes as a means of limiting China’s position on the world stage. A member of his transition team’s advisor has suggested a 60 % tax on any goods passing through any other Chinese-owned or managed port in South America or the Chancay port in Peru.

Rather than making nations reluctant to sign switch offers with Beijing, but, this kind of action simply erodes Washington’s local influence. Additionally, China is likely to take punitive measures, such as outlawing the US’s import of crucial minerals.

Guest nations like Peru and Brazil, meanwhile, are using the contest for interface investment to their benefit. They are extremely asserting their freedom and adopting a plan of using ports to “play anywhere” on the international stage, drawing attention from both the West and China.

Claudio Bozzi is Lecturer in Law, Deakin University. This commentary&nbsp, second appeared&nbsp, in The Conversation.

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Rare for Singapore political parties to use background screening firms to vet candidates: Industry players

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DEGREE OF SEPARATION

Political parties can stay out of trouble with prospects ‘ prior conflicts if they come up against them in the future, according to the companies.

According to RM I’s Mr. Ho,” It protects the group, as the group is showing the people what they have done and the ways they have already taken to ensure due diligence.”

The goal, he said, is to show that while&nbsp, poor judgment or changes in personality may become difficult to foresee, intensive investigations had been conducted at the time the candidates joined the company.

According to Mr. Tan of Kroll, “what’s important is that we are experts in this field of work and a non-biased separate third party.”

” There is an accountability account. If the vetting process become subject to scrutiny, it can be said honestly that a third party came in and discovered no conflicts or contradictions.

Business players said that while the WP good conducted inside checks, interesting a&nbsp, backdrop screen company adds a layer of professionalism, given their more advanced methods of obtaining information.

HOW SCREENING WORKS

The procedure usually begins with the president’s acceptance and takes about two months, &nbsp, depending on the complexity of the screen, the firms said.

Background checks typically include investigating certificates with companies and educational institutions, assessing financial&nbsp, validity through credit or debt checks, and checking for ongoing dispute or prior convictions. For insulting data, traditional media and social media are also subject to scrutiny.

The individual being screened is aware of the investigations being done, and has to provide consent before the procedure may begin, said Avvanz’s Mr Chettiar.

” Some higher-risk individuals require more thorough vetting. For instance, criminality checks in these cases will cover the past decade as opposed to fewer years for typical cases, he said.

” For every 10 profiles we screen, at least three will have some form of discrepancies, in the form of fake credentials, inflated backgrounds, derogatory social media footprint or undeclared offences” .&nbsp,

Any potential red flags that may have been discovered are then gathered into a formal report for the client and put into action.

However, ultimately, the clients who hired their services make the final choice about how to proceed.

” Sometimes they think that just because a conviction is for a smaller, less serious crime, like maybe for drunk and disorderly behaviour, and not something bigger, then it’s scant”.

HOW DO OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES DO IT?

The People’s Action Party, the ruling party, told CNA that it evaluates potential candidates through a variety of methods and sources of feedback.

” No screening process can be 100 per cent effective. However, a PAP representative said that they make an effort to pick candidates who are committed to serving our country, of good character, and who have a desire to improve the lives of their fellow citizens.

Potential PAP candidate Ivan Lim withdrew from the race just two days before Nomination Day because of online criticism of his conduct during the 2020 general election, along with other allegations.

The Singapore Democratic Party claims to have never used background checkers to screen candidates. ” Partly because the majority of them would have been active with the party for a number of years at the point of selection and their backgrounds are known to us,” a spokesperson told CNA.

The Progress Singapore Party made no comment.

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How to make it in America: The pressures and pitfalls for Chinese brands going global

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Urban Revivo plans to expand in the US this season, and tariffs pose a big issue for some retailers who instantly ship finished goods from China more than sourcing locally.

Fashion-related items may become “most affected” by a possible 60 per share price increase from the US, according to a statement from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in January, with progressive costs anticipated to increase to US$ 16 billion by 2033.

The three groups, according to the team, would need to withstand additional US$ 99 billion in additional tariffs in addition to customer electronics and electrical machinery.

Although Taiwanese businesses have experience managing US tax costs, levies of this size will have a significant impact on business activities, according to Aparna Bharadwaj, managing director and companion at BCG.

She added that a potential reduction of up to 14 percent points in a company’s profitability on income before taxes, loss, and amortization could make them more likely to pass those costs on to customers.

Urban Revivo intends to accomplish that.

” Our setting is more’ mass-market’ at house, but in the future, I’m thinking if the taxes were to increase]in America], we could only increase prices”, founder Li told the Post. ” Other brands would do the same”.

It’s a big question whether the business can increase its revenues without hurting its sales.

Urban Revivo plans to open its first US store in New York this year, and the most immediate challenge for the company is whether it can make a name for itself in this competitive market, head-to-head with well-known giants like Zara, &nbsp, H&amp, M&nbsp, and Ralph Lauren.

” The majority of Chinese retailers that have set foot in the US are targeting the East and West Coasts, where there are large Chinese communities”, said Bain’s Yang. So, I would say we’re not yet there if you asked me whether any brands had truly won over the hearts of European and American consumers in large numbers.

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Gold glitters at end of the world as we know it – Asia Times

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Shareholders have been betting tremendously on an AI-driven coming over the past two decades, as tech stocks have led the S&amp, P 500 to a 60 % get. But they also bought the “barbarous artifact” of a financial era that preceded the economy’s identity, pushing the price of silver up by almost as much. Importantly, gold outperformed other hedges by a sizable percentage against the buck.

Why wall against severe distress amid effervescent tech-driven optimism? The answer is a bit could get wrong—catastrophically wrong, in reality. The dollar-based global economic system’s core asset is then tech stocks. The United States has sold US$ 24 trillion more of its property to immigrants than Americans have sold to immigrants.

Graphic: Asia Times

That” net international investment position” of$ 24 trillion, up from$ 18 trillion at the end of Donald Trump’s first term in office, paid for America’s cumulative trade deficit over the past 30 years. For the past 10 years, immigrants have been buying stocks rather than US Treasury bonds, as in the history.

US federal loan is now lower than it was five years ago, thanks to international central banks. If the technology bubble turns out to be a balloon, so will the US dollar. The death of the money may depend on the competition for market share for AI. If, for example, China’s open-source DeepSeek beats ChatGPT and the other British large language concepts, tech shares was tank and, with them, the money.

Graphic: Asia Times

There are many different ways to protect against the money. Some of them are interesting. An American budget deficit of 6 % to 7 % without a war or recession, as incoming Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Congress last week, is without precedent. But the currency’s position as a reserve money means that America has first rights on the nation’s capital.

The inflation-indexed US Treasury yields surge, partially fueled by hopes for a higher US gap under Trump, propelled the dollar higher against all major currencies. If US prices increases, so does US interest charges, and the economy’s transfer rate will rise against other currencies, even while the money loses value.

Graphic: Asia Times

But even while all currencies sank against the dollar in response to rising “real” ( inflation-indexed ) Treasury yields, gold rose, breaking a pattern that prevailed from 2007 through 2022.

Graphic: Asia Times

The US and its supporters seized Russian resources in March 2022, breaking the long-term connection between TIPS and metal. China, Saudi Arabia, India, and other central banks slowly shifted resources away from Treasuries into silver. On paper, TIPS and silver offer similar payments: If the money tanks and US prices increase, both assets may gain value.

The distinction is that the Treasury cannot acquire central bank vault gold in the same way it is acquire central banks holdings of its own obligations. Up to 80 basis points ( 0.8 % ) of the rise in TIPS yields during the past six months, I showed in a January 10 analysis, can be attributed to foreign central banks ‘ sales of US Treasury securities.

The hedge fund group has turned northern banks into gold. The price of real gold and the option price on the gold price are both affected by a shift in the relationship. Implied volatility is a standardized measure of the cost of metal choices, and under normal conditions, it falls as the gold rate rises.

That’s because silver mining companies have been the biggest consumers of golden choices, when the gold rate falls, they buy alternatives to lock in their revenue, and vice versa. But in 2024, something fresh happened: The cost of gold possibilities rose along with the golden value.

The gold implied volatility against price forms a” V” in the scatter chart below. That indicates that hedge funds placed wagers on a rise in silver prices.

Graphic: Asia Times

Gold is a standout in the complex of options on macro variables ( stocks, currencies, bonds, and commodities ). While other markets are softer in terms of risk and the price of gold options ( implied volatility ) is trading at a two-year high.

Graphic: Asia Times

Gold’s virtue is that it has a government decree-free value; it is the only form of currency that can be accepted if all else fails. It is the economic resource of last resort. With some exceptions, the bill of nearly all of the major markets has increased alarmingly in relation to economic output over the past ten years.

President Trump is walking a rope, trying to stimulate financial growth through tax breaks while juggling a document non-war, non-recession budget gap. The dangerous nature of this is heightened by Gold’s outperformance.

Observe David P Goldman on X at @davidpgoldman

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While Trump dithers, US lawmakers push 100% tariff on China – Asia Times

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A bill that would revoke China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations ( PNTR ), previously known as the Most Favoured Nation ( MFN) trade status, and impose a 100 % tariff on a wide range of Chinese goods has been proposed by bipartisan US lawmakers. &nbsp,

Republican John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, next November introduced the&nbsp, Restoring Trade Fairness Act, which, if enacted, would withdraw China’s PNTR. &nbsp,

He announced on January 23 that Democrat parliamentarian Tom Suozzi may contribute to its promotion by forming a bipartisan bill to the proposed Act. &nbsp,

The newly-inaugurated US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20 that directed the US Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce to evaluate congressional ideas regarding China’s PNTR.

Trump had promised to establish a 60 % tax on all Chinese products on the campaign trail, but he has veered away from doing so since taking office on January 20.

The bipartisan compromise that both parties must acknowledge the need to restart our financial ties with China is a big success for both the Select Committee and our country, according to Moolenaar.

The Restoring Trade Fairness Act takes decisive action in line with President Trump’s authority, building on the tax measures passed by three successive governments.

According to the proposed Act, a wide range of Chinese goods will experience a 100 % price. They include pesticides, drugs, nuclear reactor and parts, gas turbine and parts, agricultural and construction equipment, industrial robots, motors and engines, unmanned aircraft, consumer electronic products and weapons. Other products may encounter a 35 % price.

Price increases may be entirely implemented in five times if the Act is passed and enacted. Two decades after the passage, 25 % of the complete work increase may apply. Four decades after the passage, 50 % of the complete duty increase may use. &nbsp,

Some Chinese analysts predicted that the removal of China’s Import standing would result in a 60 % price on all US imports from China in November.

Some Chinese experts predicted that China will be able to address these issues by diversifying its export to other nations. They claimed that China could retaliate against the US by depreciating the Taiwanese money, slashing American make payments, and stifling imports of market metal to the US.

But, Tu Xinquan, professor of the China Institute for WTO Studies, University of International Business and Economics, says in a new article that China should never overlook the negative effects of losing MFN position. &nbsp,

Rejecting Nafta standing results in the US no more granting China the same level of tariff protection, Tu claims. ” The US can then choose which taxes to impose on Chinese goods.”

” Revoking China’s Import reputation will also impact trade in services, intellectual property rights, diplomatic opportunities, engineering controls and officers markets between China and the US”, he says. ” China’s impact on losing the MFN status is much greater than tariff increases.”

Trump stated on January 21 that he is considering imposing a 10 % tariff on imports of all Chinese-made goods as soon as February 1. While it will take time for the US Congress to discuss the 100 % tariff. He defended his action in light of the claim that China is preventing the entry of its fentanyl precursors into North America. &nbsp,

The US president also has the option of imposing a 25 % tariff on Mexico and Canada beginning in February, citing the two neighbors ‘ failure to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs.

AmCham concerns&nbsp,

In addition, according to a survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce ( AmCham ) in China, three out of ten US companies are considering moving manufacturing or sourcing to a different country as a result of rising geopolitical concerns.

The China Business Climate Survey, which covers both the week of October 21 through November 15, 2024, before and after the most recent US presidential election on November 5, was conducted. It has a total sample size of 368 member companies. &nbsp,

Only 23 % of the surveyed companies said they were considering leaving China or had already begun, according to the survey conducted in late 2023. &nbsp,

According to the survey conducted in 2024, only 14 % of the responding companies think that the bilateral US-China relationship is expected to improve. However, 51 % of the responding companies said they think the relationship may continue to deteriorate in 2025. &nbsp,

In the 2023 survey, only 24 % of companies think the Sino-US relationship will deteriorate while 30 % believe that the relationship will improve. &nbsp,

The top five issues US businesses are facing in China, according to AmCham China:

  • rising tensions in US-China relations
  • competition from state-owned and/or privately-owned Chinese companies
  • regulatory compliance
  • inconsistent legislative interpretation, ambiguous laws, and strict laws
  • rising labor costs

Understanding our members ‘ viewpoints has never been more crucial, according to Alvin Liu, chair of AmCham China,” US-China relations remain the most consequential bilateral dynamic in the world today.” A stable and constructive relationship that is based on economic and trade ties is essential for both our two countries ‘ prosperity and the stability of the world economy.

According to AmCham’s surveys, about 48 % of the responding companies listed China as one of their top three global investment destinations in 2024, up from 61 % in 2020. Additionally, from 10 % in 2020, the percentage of businesses that no longer listed China as a preferred investment destination increased to 21 % last year.

49 % of AmCham members surveyed last year said foreign companies were treated unfairly compared to domestic companies in the technology and R&amp, D sectors. The figure was 42 % in the 2023 survey.

In 2024, 46 % of respondents claimed their China businesses were profitable, and 18 % claimed to have lost money. In 2021, 59 % of responding members said they were profitable while 13 % saw a loss. &nbsp,

Commenting on American firms ‘ concerns about deteriorating US-China relations, Mao Ning, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said this actually reflects how important it is to pursue a steady, sound and sustainable China-US relationship.

” China always views and develops China-US ties in line with the three principles put forth by President Xi Jinping, namely mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation”, Mao said. We also anticipate that the US will cooperate with China to put China-US relations back on track for sound and steady development.

He Yadong, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, stated that the government will continue to support foreign businesses, improve the economic environment, and reduce the negative list in 2025.

Yong Jian contributes to the Asia Times. He is a Chinese journalist who specializes in Chinese technology, economy and politics. &nbsp,

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Alarm sounds over haze

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Serious state moves include vehicle subsidies

Toxic shroud: The Grand Palace is seen through murky haze on Friday when unhealthy levels of PM2.5 concentration were reported in nearly all districts of Bangkok. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
When nearly all of Bangkok’s districts reported toxic amounts of PM2.5 focus on Friday, The Grand Palace was seen through dark haze. ( Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill )

The government has made immediate steps to address the PM2.5 waste crisis, including offering free vehicle and electronic train rides and requiring private companies to permit employees to work from home.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed worry over the issue in a message posted on Instagram on Friday, saying she had instructed companies to take immediate, short-term measures to tackle it.

In order to reduce vehicle emissions, one of the sources of ultra-fine sand or PM2.5 pollutants, state agencies will be required to allow officials to work from home, while private companies may be required to do the same.

She added that she had given the Transport Ministry the directive to start subsidizing completely trucks and electric carriages for seven days.

According to the prime minister, the Department of Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation was even given the task of conducting cloud-seeding businesses to create more rain and improve Bangkok’s air quality.

According to Ms. Paetongtarn, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment must carefully observe slash-and-burn techniques in every state and take legal action against those who engage in them, which contribute to fog pollution.

Additionally, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry was given the task of creating a form to request information on instances of waste burning so that prompt action can be taken.

Chadchart Sittipunt, governor of Bangkok, was asked to assess the capital’s construction sites and make sure dust shields are properly installed to stop the spread of airborne allergens while they are being built.

Companies may be asked to halt development temporarily until the air quality improve when air circulation is bad, according to Ms. Paetongtarn, adding that authorities were instructed to increase vehicle checks for increased dark smoke emissions.

” The government may throw short-term and long-term measures in place to handle the problem”, the prime minister posted.

Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the minister of transport, disclosed that he had informed the BTS and BEM electric rail service ‘ operators of the plans. He said a budget of 140 million baht will be used to cover the costs of energy coach travel during the seven-day period.

After receiving heavy criticism for being slow to act, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday defended the administration’s efforts to address the PM2.5 trouble.

Thaksin, parents of Ms Paetongtarn, even backed the president’s methods, including banning purchases and sales of wheat and sugar wood grown in areas that have been cleared for farming via the slash-and-burn process.

Thaksin acknowledged that the issue was more serious than anticipated.

Bangkok was ranked as the fourth-worst city in the world for weather value yesterday, according to the information from Swiss-based IQAir. The air quality index hit 188 as of 9.40am.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration declared 48 of its 50 districts as red ( hazardous-to-health ) zones, with PM2.5 levels averaging 88.4 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³ ).

Nong Khaem was the most affected district ( 108 µg/m³ ), followed by Khan Na Yao, Min Buri, Thawi Watthana and Laksi. Citizens were advised to avoid outdoor activities and work from home.

Chiang Mai ranked 23rd with an indicator of 127µg/m³. The government-set secure level is 37.5µg/m³.

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Commentary: What Trump wants in Latin America isn’t actually the Panama Canal

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The Panama Canal Authority is the independent legal entity that manages the river, according to businesses. It is based on a 1997 natural law and the Nicaraguan constitution.

Trump’s say boils down to the fact that two of the five slots at either end of the river are run by a company of CK Hutchison, a company based in Hong Kong, with bets in 52 slots spread across 26 nations.

Marco Rubio raised concerns about a foreign port’s “ability to turn the river into a choke place in a moment of issue” through the companies that are” not separate” at his confirmation hearing for the placement of secretary of state.

OVERWARDING QUESTIONS ABOUT CHINESE PRACTICE IN LATIN AMERICA

Trump’s assertions regarding the Panama Canal may be questionable, but they should be taken as a gimmick for a more assertive Latin American policy to counteract China’s growing presence in the area.

Panama switched from Taiwan to China in 2017 with its diplomatic recognition. The Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras followed.

The year after, Panama signed up to Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, again the first in the region to do so. By December 2024, another 21 Latin American countries had joined the initiative.

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