The Chinese government will rush a new foreign investment law through its rubber-stamp parliament in March, in a move that Beijing hopes will help smooth over trade talks scheduled to open later today in Washington.
The official Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday that the National People’s Congress would vote on the new law, which will supersede existing legislation governing foreign investments in China, when it convenes for its annual session in early March.
The new law, which was first reviewed by the NPC’s Standing Committee in December, formally bans “forced” technology transfers and other illegal interference by government officials in the operations of foreign-invested enterprises.