US expresses concern over reported raids of American companies in China

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern Wednesday about the treatment of American companies and other foreign enterprises in China amid reports of raids on US firms, saying they are not being treated the same way as Chinese businesses around the world.

"With regard to the treatment of some of our companies and other companies in China, I’ve seen those reports (of raids), and we obviously have concerns," Blinken said during a press conference with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares at the State Department.

Blinken was responding to a question about reports of US companies operating in China being raided by police under the country's new counterespionage law, which accuses them of espionage for sharing data with the US.

“One of our general concerns – and it’s a concern shared by many allies and partners – is the way some of our enterprises are treated in China, certainly treated in a way that’s not reciprocal to the way that many Chinese enterprises are treated, businesses are treated, around the world,” he said.

Blinken emphasized that the actions that China takes regarding foreign businesses operating in the country will greatly impact its ability to create a positive business environment that attracts foreign investment.

According to multiple reports earlier this week, Chinese state security authorities conducted raids on several offices of the international consulting firm Capvision.

The company's office in Suzhou was raided, with employees being interrogated and office devices searched, as reported by a Jiangsu provincial television station.

CNN has reported that in recent weeks, Chinese officials have interviewed employees at the Shanghai office of American consulting firm Bain & Company and closed the Beijing office of American corporate due diligence company Mintz Group.