Record US firms shift investment away from China

The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai said today, Sept. 10, that almost half of US companies redirected China-bound investments last year — the highest level ever.

A chamber survey conducted after US-China trade tensions flared showed that 47% of members shifted planned investments to Southeast Asia. This marked the largest share since the question was introduced in 2017.

The Indian subcontinent, including Bangladesh, was the second most popular destination, while the US and Mexico tied for third.

AmCham Shanghai represents companies such as Apple, Ford, Honeywell, Meta, and Tesla.

Chairman Jeffrey Lehman said members are hit not only by US tariffs on China, but also Beijing’s retaliatory duties on US-sourced production inputs.