How China Is Countering Push to Rewire Global Trade: Explainer

China has stepped up measures to protect its role as the world’s factory as the US and its allies look to move manufacturing closer to home.

New rules target foreign efforts to shift global supply chains away from Chinese suppliers, as well as efforts to restrict China’s access to key materials and technology. Authorities can investigate — and punish — actions seen as discriminatory and harmful to the country’s supply chain security.

The latest measures build on China’s existing legal tools to retaliate against external threats such as sanctions. They’ve also sparked concerns that doing business in or with the ...