Chinese Ministry of Commerce data shows that foreign investment in China has dropped over the first 11 months of this year. However, investment from the Middle East may become a new area for growth.

At a hearing yesterday, members of Congress spoke with several expert witnesses about the problems of dealing with a number of specific Chinese practices related to intellectual property, including SEP-litigation practice.

At today's meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body, Australia indicated that it had completed implementation of a WTO dispute brought by China related to anti-dumping measures on several products.

Last week, the Canadian government sanctioned eight Chinese officials and former officials. This could trigger another round of retaliatory sanctions, as past experience shows that China has responded to foreign sanctions with its own countermeasures, especially since the enactment of its Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law.

Two recently negotiated Chinese FTAs are being examined by the WTO's Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA), and the WTO Secretariat has issued a "factual presentation" of these FTAs.

A pilot program allowing the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in nine Chinese cities offers new opportunities for international investors, but it also comes with specific restrictions and requirements, balancing the drive for foreign capital with the protection of sensitive medical practices and data.

This past week, CTM covered the following issues: In China:  * Antitrust investigation of Nvidia * Official comments on China’s export controls, and trade issues with the U.S. and Australia * Anti-dumping measures on rubber products from Japan and South Korea. In the U.S.: * New Section 301 tariffs on tungsten