Motorola's news follows similar announcements by Chinese computer maker Lenovo, which is building a manufacturing plant in North Carolina, and Apple, which has said it will begin manufacturing a Mac computer in the U.S. this year.

CNN: Motorola's Moto X phone to be made in the U.S.

But more important than all the small connections is a big one: Hony is an offshoot of Legend Holdings, a quasi-governmental investment firm, which also controls Lenovo, a computer maker.

ECONOMIST: Hony Capital wants to help Chinese firms go global

Lenovo, the world's fourth-largest personal computer maker, has unveiled a third straight quarterly profit.

BBC: Lenovo in profit as demand grows

Note: Chinese businesses such as computer brand Lenovo, e-commerce leader Alibaba, telecom hardware giant Huawei, and auto parts maker Wanxiang have looked in recent years to tap into the U.S. marketplace and resources.

FORBES: Seven Dos And Don'ts For Chinese Investors In The U.S.