BEIJING (AP) – China’s premier promised Wednesday to open the world’s No. 2 economy wider to foreign companies, promising favorable conditions despite a wave of anti-monopoly investigations that business groups say might be aimed at limiting competition.
Speaking at a business conference, Premier Li Keqiang made no mention of the probes against foreign automakers, drug and technology suppliers and other companies. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a report this week the investigations unfairly target foreign companies and might be a violation of Beijing’s free-trade pledges.
“We oppose protectionism in all its forms,” the premier said at the World Economic Forum in the Tianjin, east of Beijing. “We will continue to pursue a more proactive strategy of opening up.”
The premier promised to “improve and standardize the business environment” to attract foreign companies and investment.
Li’s comments echo promises often made by Chinese leaders but come at a time when the wave of anti-monopoly investigations have prompted questions about Beijing’s attitude toward foreign companies.