China's Outward Foreign Investment: A Political Perspective

by Xiaofei Li

Overview

This book explores the characteristics of China's outward foreign investment, its motivation, its sector distribution, and its geographical distribution in order to illustrate the current pattern of 'merchant-state dualism' in China's overseas foreign direct investment. Merchant-state dualism is a hybrid relationship between the state and society that maintains state control over merchants, while giving them some autonomy. By investigating the interactions between business and government elites to determine Chinese outward foreign investment, and by exploring the reasons for selecting certain foreign investments in light of internal political and economic concerns and the external effect of investing in politically sensitive countries, the book highlights the political underpinnings and calculations of China's foreign investment. It thus sheds light on current merchant-state dualism by concluding that merchant-state dualism is the most suitable model for explaining contemporary Chinese government-business relations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761852636
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	08/13/2010
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Xiaofei Li is currently an assistant professor of political economy at York College of Pennsylvania. Her expertise is in world politics and includes political economy, overseas trade and investment, and government relations and affairs.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

I Exposition of China's Outward FDI 1

II Merchant-State Dualism in China's History 49

III Current Illustrations of Dualism in China's FDI 81

IV Decision-Making and Political Give-and-Take in FDI 117

V Case Study One-The Iron and Steel Industry 131

VI Case Study Two-The Oil and Gas Industry 155

VII Case Study Three-The Electrical Appliances Industry 197

VIII Conclusion 235

IX Bibliography 243

Editorial Reviews

Her research is addressing a vital topic in this age of globalization — contemporary Chinese government-business relations and their future trajectory — a topic vital especially in light of the increasingly dominant presence of China on the global geopolitical stage.

Joseph G. Leichter

There are few studies of investment done from a political perspective. This project is the first systematic examination and exploration of China's fledgling outward foreign investment from the perspective of political economy.

James O'Leary

There are few studies of investment done from a political perspective. This project is the first systematic examination and exploration of China's fledgling outward foreign investment from the perspective of political economy.--James O'Leary, Ph.D., The Catholic University of America

Her research is addressing a vital topic in this age of globalization -- contemporary Chinese government-business relations and their future trajectory -- a topic vital especially in light of the increasingly dominant presence of China on the global geopolitical stage.--Joseph G. Leichter, Ph.D., J.D.

From the Publisher