Foreign companies boost investments in China

Foreign companies have been enhancing their investments in China, underscoring the country's significant potential and enduring attractiveness as a premier investment destination.

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, for instance, has put its A320 Family Final Assembly Line Asia (FALA) in north China's Tianjin Municipality into operation in 2008.

As the first Airbus production line established outside Europe, the FALA has been operating for over 15 years and has become a role model of successful China-Europe cooperation.

The 700th A320 family aircraft assembled in China was officially delivered on July 8.

Airbus has ambitious plans for further expansion in China. According to the aircraft manufacturer, the second assembly line is expected to be completed and commence official operation at the beginning of 2026.

Xu Gang, CEO of Airbus China, said the company also plans to allocate 20 percent of its global production capacity for the A320 series aircraft to China.

"Through tangible actions, we are showing our confidence and support to China's investment environment. Our supply chain in China is rapidly expanding, and our industrial cooperation in the country has already reached a value of 1 billion U.S. dollars," explained Xu.

Considering China's high-level economic opening up, Airbus will further enhance its investments in areas such as sustainable aviation fuels, a biofuel used to power aircraft with a smaller carbon footprint, in the country.

"We see the favorable conditions in China, which include advantages in resource endowment, green energy, and large-scale production capabilities. We are eager to collaborate with all stakeholders in the ecosystem and firmly believe that this cooperation will serve as significant new quality productive forces," added Xu.

China's inclusive and innovative ecosystem, along with its favorable business environment, has also created extensive opportunities for foreign-invested brands to establish their presence in the Chinese market.

Medtronic, one of the first multinational medical technology companies to enter China, has been steadily expanding its operations along the entire value chain in the country.

The construction of the Medtronic Kanghui Changzhou Science and Technology Park began in Changzhou National High-tech District in east China's Jiangsu Province in 2023, aiming to enhance the research and development as well as production capabilities of advanced medical devices and intelligent equipment in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Brett Wall, the Executive Vice President of the U.S.-based firm, said he is bullish on the company's development in the Chinese market.

"When I look at our business in China, we've found ways to grow and to continue to grow here and at the same time utilize the unique resources, the unique technology, the unique abilities that we have here in China, and frankly, that makes us a better company," said Wall.

Foreign companies boost investments in China

Foreign companies boost investments in China

China is to impose a matching 34 percent tariffs on all U.S. imports, plus export controls, and trade restrictions, in response to the U.S. move to impose a 34 percent "reciprocal tariff" on Chinese imports, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday.

The spokesperson said that the U.S. imposition of so-called "reciprocal tariffs" seriously violates WTO rules, harms the legitimate rights and interests of the WTO members, and undermines the multilateral trade system and global economic order.

Calling it a typical act of unilateral bullying that threatens global trade stability, China has filed a complaint against the U.S. move under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced on Friday that the imposition of the 34-percent tariffs on all products imported from the United States would take effect on 12:01, April 10, while the U.S. imposition is set to take effect on April 9.

Also on Friday, the Ministry of Commerce issued announcement No.18 of 2025, imposing export controls on seven types of middle-heavy rare earth elements, including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium.

The Ministry of Commerce also issued announcement No.21 of 2025, adding 16 U.S. military-related entities to the export control list, prohibiting the export of dual-use items to these entities.

The work mechanism for the unreliable entity list issued announcement No.7 of 2025, which added 11 U.S. companies on the unreliable entity list, prohibiting them from engaging in import and export activities related to China, and prohibiting them from making new investments in China.

The Ministry of Commerce issued announcements No.19 and No.20 of 2025, launching an anti-dumping investigation into imported medical CT tubes originating from the U.S. and other regions, and initiating China's first industry competitiveness investigation into imported medical CT tubes.

Also on Friday, the General Administration of Customs issued announcements No.54 and No.55, stating that in order to protect the health of Chinese consumers and ensure the safety of China's livestock production, it has decided to suspend the qualification of one U.S. company for exporting sorghum to China, suspend the qualification of three U.S. companies for exporting poultry bone meal to China, and suspend the export of poultry products to China from two U.S. companies, as their imports are found problematic in the inspection and quarantine.

China to control export, restrict trade with US plus tariffs