Beijing’s Favored Tool Against Human-Rights Criticism: Punish Companies

A New Year’s Eve salvo from Beijing accusing Walmart Inc. of “stupidity and shortsightedness” has driven location a stark situation for Western businesses successful 1 of their astir promising markets: As governments ratchet up accusations of human-rights violations successful China, officials determination are pressuring overseas companies to instrumentality China’s side.

Western businesses person suffered done assorted waves of geopolitical headwinds arsenic they person sought to bash concern successful the world’s astir populous country. But the experiences of Walmart and semiconductor elephantine Intel Corp. successful caller weeks—and a user backlash against large brands specified arsenic H&M Hennes and Mauritz AB and Adidas AG past year—demonstrate a caller willingness by Beijing to face disapproval by Western governments with counterattacks connected Western companies.