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Date and Location

March 23, 2022
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
Virtual

Contact

617-495-9379
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The war on Ukraine has focused world attention on the high stakes of weaponized cross-border economic measures such as sanctions, embargoes and export controls. Using Chinese commercial banks and Alibaba as examples, this study group will explore discrete, pragmatic steps that might be taken by U.S. policy makers and regulators to manage cross-border investments between the United States and China to reduce the need for such escalatory economic remedies.
Questions and issues to be discussed will include the following:  
Would a deeper understanding of the manner in which state ownership and CCP influence affect the policy objectives of the U.S. operations of Chinese commercial banks help U.S. regulators engage with these banks more effectively on issues such as internationalization of the renmimbi?  Should the U.S. bank regulatory concept of national treatment be revised? Should enforcement tools such as subpoenas and sanctions be revised?
Alibaba’s global success has recently been tempered by regulatory challenges in the United States and China.  In the United States, Alibaba’s affiliate Ant Financial was challenged by CFIUS when it sought to make a key acquisition and the SEC might delist Alibaba shares sold on U.S. exchanges. Chinese regulators have fined Alibaba and sought to re-shape its operations as well. What lessons do Alibaba’s travails present for U.S. policy makers? Would better communications between U.S. and Chinese regulators support a better outcome?
Chinese regulatory changes that commenced in 2018 and are ongoing have encouraged U.S. direct investment in Chinese fund managers and securities firms and U.S. portfolio investors have sharply increased holdings of Chinese securities. What are the risks presented by these investments and how should U.S. regulators respond?
For this study group, Connie Friesen will be joined by Martin Chorzempa, Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and HKS MPA '17.

​**Open to those with a Harvard.edu email address.

Speakers and Presenters

​Connie Friesen, M-RCBG Senior Fellow and Martin Chorzempa, Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and HKS MPP '17.

Organizer