Top US business lobby: US businesses no longer 'positive anchor' for US-China relations

The American Chamber of Commerce in China, a top US business lobby, said on Wednesday, the US businesses can no longer be counted on as a “positive anchor” in US-China relations, Reuters reports.

In a statement accompanying its annual report on China’s business climate, the Chamber said: “Crucially, the mood has shifted.”

“The U.S. business community in China, so long an advocate of good bilateral relations, can no longer be relied upon to be a positive anchor. U.S. companies continue to face an uncertain operating environment in China amid decreasing optimism about their investment outlook.”

Meanwhile, the Chamber’s chairman, Timothy Stratford, said in the report: “We understand that any true resolution of the current dispute requires addressing the structural issues ... that have long hindered importation of U.S. goods and services and operations of U.S. businesses in China.”