US firms vote with their chequebooks, taking China’s side in trade war, AmCham survey finds
Most companies say they are against the tit-for-tat war between the world’s two largest economies
More than 60 per cent of US companies operating in China are bullish about their prospects in the mainland as the country’s digitalisation drive deepens, making business easier and more cost-effective, according to the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
Most of the firms are also against the tit-for-tat trade war between China and the US, with some of them continuing to seek Chinese authorities’ approval to expand their investments in the world’s second-largest economy.
Based on a survey of more than 400 American companies, the business lobby group said that American businesses “continue to perform well in China”, shrugging off the gloomy sentiment brought about by rising trade frictions between the two countries.
About 62 per cent of responding businesses expected to increase investment in China this year, up from 53 per cent that expected to in 2017.
“Uncertainty about US-China trade policy had a limited impact on investment and more companies are producing goods solely for the Chinese market,” AmCham Shanghai wrote in its 2018 China Business Report.