- Negotiations
Washington and Beijing began formal negotiations towards a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) in June 2008. A year later, the highly sensitive talks were halted until July 2013. The US is interested in getting Chinese restrictions on foreign ownership in about 100 sectors — from soybean oil and automobiles to life insurance and other financial services — lifted for US companies which want to expand their market presence there. The Chinese government is interested in getting more security for highly-scrutinised Chinese investments in the US and its massive holdings of US sovereign debt ($1.3 trillion).
In late 2013, China agreed to initiate talks on a possible BIT with the European Union as well.
July 2014
11-Nov-2014
The Hill
The US’ top trade official said in Beijing that there is more work ahead in 2015 for a US-China bilateral investment treaty (BIT)
17-Oct-2014
China Daily
Peterson Institute says a US-China FTA would generate gains of 0.6% of GDP for the US and 1.9% for China.
9-Oct-2014
Xinhua
China and the United States are likely to conclude bilateral investment treaty (BIT) negotiations within two years, China’s Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao said Wednesday.
23-Sep-2014
CCTV
The 15th round of talks on a bilateral investment treaty between China and the United States began Monday in Beijing.
4-Aug-2014
SCMP
Chinese investments in the United States now exceed American investments in China in an historic shift that may see the emergence of joint Sino-US multinationals, but one that is also fraught with geopolitical risks, said analysts.
28-Jul-2014
SCMP
Chinese investments in the United States fell year-on-year in the first half, but pending deals and the expected completion of the US-China Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) mean the figure for the year as a whole may rise substantially.
13-Jul-2014
China Daily
The two-day high-level dialogue between China and the United States has led to a timetable for talks on a bilateral investment treaty
2-Jul-2014
The Hill
US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said Tuesday that the United States and China aren’t prepared to wrap up work on an investment agreement during high-level meetings next week.
25-Jun-2014
WSJ
The US’s incoming ambassador to China said Thursday that hammering out a new investment treaty between the two countries would be among his priorities.
12-Jun-2014
Prensa Latina
Chinese and US representatives are beginning another round of negotiations here today in this capital on a bilateral investment treaty, said the Commerce Ministry.
