American fast-food companies find China's 1.4 billion population too delicious to resist

• Some of the world's biggest brands are weighing a manufacturing shift away from China.
• But some major American fast-food chains are keen on China's market of 1.4 billion people.
• KFC, McDonald's, and Starbucks have announced plans for major investment in China.

There's been no shortage of tough news for China's economy as some of the world's biggest brands consider or take action to shift manufacturing to friendlier shores at a time of unease about security controls, protectionism and wobbly relations between Beijing and Washington.

Count Adidas, Apple and Samsung among those looking elsewhere.