When I last wrote about China — five years ago, in the midst of COVID — some readers were critical. Why encourage us to invest in an adversary? China has certainly been a bad actor, threatening Taiwan, supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine, suppressing dissent, oppressing ethnic and religious groups. But the U.S. is not at war with China; we allow Chinese firms to list on our exchanges, and we encourage Chinese investors to buy U.S. Treasuries (current holdings: $757 billion).
The Trump administration’s official position on China, according to the State Department’s website, seems reasonable: “The United States seeks a constructive, results-oriented relationship with China…. The United States uses a range of exchanges, dialogues, and people-to-people ties to pursue its goals.” I would argue that one of those exchanges involves stocks. But if you feel strongly about not investing in Chinese companies, then don’t. As Warren Buffett says, you don’t have to swing at every pitch.
