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  1. Negotiations

US-China

Washington and Beijing began formal negotiations towards a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) in June 2008. A year later, the highly sensitive talks were halted until July 2013. The US is interested in getting Chinese restrictions on foreign ownership in about 100 sectors -- from soybean oil and automobiles to life insurance and other financial services -- lifted for US companies which want to expand their market presence there. The Chinese government is interested in getting more security for highly-scrutinised Chinese investments in the US and its massive holdings of US sovereign debt ($1.3 trillion).

In late 2013, China agreed to initiate talks on a possible BIT with the European Union as well.

July 2014

China-US: Timetable laid out for investment treaty talks
13-Jul-2014     China Daily
The two-day high-level dialogue between China and the United States has led to a timetable for talks on a bilateral investment treaty
Lew: US-China investment deal not nearing completion
2-Jul-2014     The Hill
US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said Tuesday that the United States and China aren’t prepared to wrap up work on an investment agreement during high-level meetings next week.
Investment treaty with China a top priority, US ambassador says
25-Jun-2014     WSJ
The US's incoming ambassador to China said Thursday that hammering out a new investment treaty between the two countries would be among his priorities.
New negotiations begin on Chinese-US investment treaty
12-Jun-2014     Prensa Latina
Chinese and US representatives are beginning another round of negotiations here today in this capital on a bilateral investment treaty, said the Commerce Ministry.
China, US investment talks enter ‘substantive period’
16-Jan-2014     China News
The 11th round of Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) talks between the world's two largest economies, China and the US, wrapped up in Shanghai on Wednesday.
Entrepreneurs, former officials call for resuming China-US investment treaty talks
23-Oct-2013     Xinhua
Chinese and American business leaders and former officials on Tuesday called for the China-US talks on signing a bilateral trade and investment treaty to be resumed.
USA et Chine d'accord pour négocier un traité d'investissements
12-Jul-2013     Reuters
Les Etats-Unis et la Chine sont tombés d'accord pour relancer les négociations sur un traité d'investissements, suspendues depuis plusieurs années en raison de l'insistance de Pékin à exclure certains secteurs des discussions.
Group urges long-term vision for US-China trade, investment
31-Jan-2013     Reuters
A US business group called on the United States and China on Wednesday to develop a long-term plan to address trade and investment concerns and to tackle cybersecurity threats that could undermine their relations.
Making the right choices
28-Jan-2013    
With imports and exports accounting for nearly half of Chinese economic output last year, trade has become an essential part of its economy and society.
China keen on free trade pact with US: Greenberg
4-Apr-2012     Reuters
China is eager to begin talks on a free trade pact with the United States and key leaders seem willing to step away from the state capitalism Beijing has been pursuing, a senior U.S. executive with access to China's leadership said on Tuesday.