Drive an easy bargain

14 August 2017 By Pete Sweeney Follow @petesweeneypro

Trump plans a probe into a requirement that American companies hand over tech secrets for market access. Amid the escalating battle, a painless concession would be to scrap a rule forcing U.S. automakers to partner locally. Chinese brands need export markets more than free IP.

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President Donald Trump will order his top trade adviser to determine whether to investigate Chinese trade practices that force U.S. firms operating in China to turn over intellectual property, Reuters reported on Aug. 12, citing senior administration officials.

Cumulative domestic sales of Chinese-brand passenger cars reached nearly 5 million units in the first half, comprising 43.9 percent of total sales inside the country, according to data released in July by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The organization predicts overall vehicle sales will rise 5 percent this year, slowing from 13.7 percent in 2016.

Sales of so-called new-energy vehicles in China totalled 251,000 vehicles during the first seven months of 2017, up 21.5 percent from a year ago, the auto manufacturing group reported in August.

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