By Roya Stephens, Office of Public and Media Affairs
This week, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Services and Investment Christine Bliss discussed the importance of investment to the American economy and jobs during a panel discussion on Capitol Hill entitled “Foreign Investment: Is it Good for America?” The event, sponsored by Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, featured a panel of government, private sector, and union representatives, who discussed the benefits of and the need for international investment.
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Christine Bliss speaks at an event hosted by Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.
During the discussion, Assistant USTR Bliss detailed the benefits of inward and outward investment to the American economy, including the promotion of domestic supply chains, increased exports of American goods, increased capital investment, and greater support for U.S. research and development. She also noted the boost that international investment provides to American workers by creating jobs, raising wages and improving productivity. The United States has a longstanding policy of openness to foreign investment, reflected in its generally open investment regime, the 40 bilateral investment treaties (BIT) currently in force, and the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) investment chapters in force with 17 countries. USTR works hard to protect American investors and investments and ensures that they compete on a level playing field governed by the rule of law in foreign markets. Bliss also provided an overview of current investment negotiations, including the investment talks in the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, as well as ongoing Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) negotiations with China, India, and Mauritius.
To learn more about America’s investment policy and bilateral investment treaties, please visit USTR’s Services and Investment page here.
