FOREIGN companies in China are having to negotiate a 'political minefield' as a result of Beijing's strained relations with Brussels and Washington, said the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, reports Hong Kong's South China Morning Post.
The chamber said their member firms feared retaliation by Beijing as a result of its political spats with their national governments, according to its annual position paper.
There is a risk of a long-term, downward spiral in relations between China and Europe, which 'have the potential to seriously impact European companies', it said.
'Companies are left navigating a political minefield during a health crisis of truly overwhelming proportions, and this situation is becoming more precarious, with the previously isolated voices that were intent on sowing political discontent slowly building into a chorus,' it said.
'All of a sudden, we find ourselves not just in a delicate situation in Beijing, as usual, but also now we have a delicate situation on the home front where parliamentarians, public opinion, governments, NGOs are questioning us why we are operating in a country that does A, B, C, D,' said chamber president Joerg Wuttke.
SeaNews Turkey
The chamber said their member firms feared retaliation by Beijing as a result of its political spats with their national governments, according to its annual position paper.
There is a risk of a long-term, downward spiral in relations between China and Europe, which 'have the potential to seriously impact European companies', it said.
'Companies are left navigating a political minefield during a health crisis of truly overwhelming proportions, and this situation is becoming more precarious, with the previously isolated voices that were intent on sowing political discontent slowly building into a chorus,' it said.
'All of a sudden, we find ourselves not just in a delicate situation in Beijing, as usual, but also now we have a delicate situation on the home front where parliamentarians, public opinion, governments, NGOs are questioning us why we are operating in a country that does A, B, C, D,' said chamber president Joerg Wuttke.
SeaNews Turkey