Finance & economics | Buttonwood

Why investors cannot escape China exposure

The country’s minuscule stockmarket is only the start of the story

An illustration of a stack of cash, imprinted with the shadow of a dragon.
Image: Satoshi Kambayashi

For america’s commerce secretary, midway through a trip to Beijing, to describe China as “uninvestible” might once have prompted an unpleasant diplomatic spat. Yet when Gina Raimondo did so a month ago, it barely caused a ripple. That was not just because the rest of her visit was a clear attempt at rapprochement. It was also because it is now firmly established that American companies, as well as Western investors more generally, see China in such terms.

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This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Hidden dragon”

From the October 7th 2023 edition

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