Chinese Investments in Malaysia

“Chinese Investments in Malaysia,” penned by Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr. Tham Siew Yean, explores the intricate relationship between foreign direct investments (FDI) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Malaysia. The BRI has become a significant driver of Malaysian inward FDI. The study, using an Antecedent, FDI Decision and Outcome (ADO) Framework, is based on a more comprehensive BRI definition, extending beyond infrastructure to encompass manufacturing and services. Malaysia’s well-established transport infrastructure distinguishes it within Southeast Asia, reducing the urgency for infrastructure focused BRI projects. The absence of an official list of designated BRI projects in Malaysia, due to the lack of consensus with China, complicates tracking their impact. The synthesis addresses the contentious link between Chinese FDI, the BRI, and potential political motivations, emphasizing commercial interests to elucidate the nature, drivers, and outcomes of these investments.

This paper is available at Tham Siew Yean, “Chinese Investments in Malaysia: Synthesizing the Evidence Ten years into the BRI,” ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute, No. 2023-04 (December 2023), https://www.iseas.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ISEAS_EWP_2023-4_Tha.... Copyright remains with the original holder.