The operating environment for US and other foreign firms in China will not change significantly following the implementation of the ‘phase one’ Sino-US trade deal on 14 February. While the agreement will bring a reprieve for companies operating in some of the sectors that have been affected by the tariffs, challenges such as IP theft, forced technology transfers, and anti-competitive state subsidies for domestic firms will endure for the foreseeable future.

Key points include:

• Main provisions of the ‘phase one’ deal