Alerts. Real-time analysis of events occurring at the intersection of economics, finance and global security concerns.

On June 9, the Chinese government reportedly instructed its state-owned enterprises to stop bidding on contracts in Vietnam.  According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the order came through a phone call from China‘s commerce ministry, which was confirmed by a person working in the ministry‘s bidding permit office.  China is only Vietnam’s 11th largest source of foreign direct investment, but has 113 Chinese companies registered as conducting business in the country, mostly in the engineering, power and chemical industries.