BUSINESS/CHINA/TARIFFS/TECHNOLOGY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday [6-26-18] that he will ease off his demands for tough new restrictions on Chinese investment in technology industries and will rely instead on a 1988 law being updated by Congress that authorizes the government to review foreign investments for national security problems. He called a recent article in The Wall Street Journal that the administration was planning two further initiatives, in addition to CFIUS, to prevent Beijing from obtaining advanced U.S. technology, ‘a bad leak…probably just made up.’ If Mr. Trump’s decision holds through June 30, when the new policies are scheduled to be announced, it would represent a significant backing away from threats the president has made against China and a possible olive branch to Beijing before the July 6 imposition of tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods. Investment restrictions in addition to CFIUS have long been part of the administration’s planned efforts to keep China from moving ahead with plans outlined in its ‘Made in China 2025’ report to become a global leader in 10 broad areas of technology, including information technology, aerospace, electric vehicles and biotechnology.”
-Bob Davis, “Trump Eases Demand for New Tools to Limit Chinese Investment,” The Wall Street Journal, June 26, 2018 3:29 pm