China sends biggest delegation to US investment forum

Global Business

The United States expects a record number of deals to be signed at a foreign investors conference being hosted just outside the US capital.

And it’s also a record for the number of Chinese delegates, 155, in attendance, according to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

CGTN’s Daniel Ryntjes reports.

Last year Chinese foreign direct investors ploughed $46 billion into the US economy. The Select USA Conference is bringing them face-to-face with officials from U.S. states and cities seeking a further boost to economic development.

But there’s also concern about potential challenges for the Chinese. A case in point is the Chinese maker of vehicle windscreens, Fuyao Glass and reports of a major ‘culture clash’ taking place with American workers in its Dayton, Ohio, manufacturing plant. Fuyao is facing a unionization campaign as well as a lawsuit by a former manager.

One of the company’s major customers, General Motors CEO Mary Barra told the conference that foreign investors need to be sensitive to local conditions. That sense of commitment to the US market is also evident by the size of the Chinese delegation here, numbering 155, the largest national delegation.

But they are closely monitoring political developments, with the U.S. Congress now reviewing the criteria for limiting or rejecting foreign investments perceived to negatively impact national security.