Our daily hop, skip, and jump around the world

🇨🇳 Chinese President Xi Jinping met with US executives amid declining foreign investment. During yesterday’s meeting, President Xi sought to reassure American business leaders that China still represents an appealing place for investment, despite recent friction between the US and Beijing over trade, technology, human rights, and other issues. Foreign investment in China fell 8% in 2023 from the previous year, with some foreign business groups pulling back from the country due to concerns over new national security laws.

🇹🇭 Thailand is one step closer to legalizing same-sex marriage. In a 400-10 vote, the country’s parliament approved a bill that recognizes marriage between two people regardless of gender, with equal inheritance and adoption rights. The bill still requires approval from Thailand’s Senate and its king, both of which are expected by the end of 2024. If approved, the measure would make Thailand the third Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal.

🇧🇷🇫🇷 Brazil and France launched a $1.1 billion investment plan to protect the Amazon Rainforest. The investment, which will be raised over the next four years, is aimed at stopping deforestation in the Amazon by 2030 and improving trade between the two countries. Tuesday's announcement came after deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon halved in 2023, the first year of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s tenure.