Overview

• American officials are concerned about recent raids against U.S. companies in China and the expansion of the country's counterespionage law.
• Chinese government security measures and unannounced visits by investigators to foreign firms' offices have raised concerns about state control under Xi Jinping's leadership.
• International consulting and advisory firms have faced questioning from Chinese security officers in recent weeks, adding to fears among foreign investors that authorities may be trying to choke off their access to unvarnished information about markets, competitors, and potential deals in China.
• American consulting firms, in particular, seem to be attracting the attention of China's Ministry of State Security, with officials showing up to ask questions about the firms' work and their contacts with embassies.
• Xi Jinping has pushed a sweeping program for "comprehensive" national security, extending new security measures throughout the economy, businesses, and data management.