The influential business lobby said Friday it was closely monitoring “heightened official scrutiny” of US firms by the Chinese authorities, following the questioning of employees at management consultancy Bain & Company in Shanghai and the shutdown of the Beijing office of due diligence provider Mintz Group. “The services these firms provide are fundamental to establishing investor confidence in any market, including China,” the chamber said in a statement, without naming either company.
It noted that while Chinese officials had recently expressed an openness to greater foreign investment, investors would “not feel welcomed in an environment where risk can’t be properly assessed and legal uncertainties are on the rise.” Last week, Bain confirmed that Chinese police had questioned staff at its Shanghai office. Few details were disclosed, including the reason for the visit, the status of employees who were questioned or their nationalities.