Publications of Wong MNC Center Staff, Advisory Board Members, and Research Fellows

Problematic Prognostications about China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative (MSRI): Lessons from Africa and the Middle East

Jean-Marc F. Blanchard

The raging debate about China’s mega Maritime Silk Road Initiative (MSRI) falls into two extreme camps, those that forecast earthshattering effects and those, focused on the MSRI’s numerous contemporary challenges, that see China’s scheme as stagnating or failing. This study plunges into the debate by conducting a macro- and micro-level analysis of the MSRI. The macro-level analysis indicates that the MSRI is not having transformative economic effects.

The Investment War with China, Part II: Assessing American Pressure

Jean-Marc F. Blanchard

This publication is part II of a three-part series examining the United States (US) investment war against China. It focuses on the US war against Chinese outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), particularly US actions to limit Chinese OFDI in the US, US measures to undercut COFDI in other countries, and Washington’s efforts to undermine China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It provides background on US legal, regulatory, policy, and rhetorical measures, among others, in these areas, and describes the factors motivating US policy.

The Investment War with China, Part I

Jean-Marc F. Blanchard

This piece is part I of a three-piece series examining the United States (US) investment war against China, which consists of three aspects: constraining American foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into China, hindering Chinese outward FDI (OFDI), and action against Chinese companies listed or contemplating listings on US stock markets. This Op-Ed considers the political and economic benefits as well as costs of taking action to delist Chinese stocks.

Chinese companies conquering the world: A descriptive analysis of the rapid rise of Chinese acquisitions

Lourdes Casanova and Anne Miroux

This piece focuses on the global acquisition patterns of Chinese companies, examining its geographic and sectoral orientations. It also delves into the drivers of Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI) before and after the 2008 Great Financial Crisis. Using data from various sources such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and Financial Times fDi Markets, the analyze finds that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) play a critical role in the internationalization of Chinese companies.

Brazil’s Samba with China

Jean-Marc F. Blanchard

There are many who expect China’s rising foreign direct investment (FDI) in, exports to, and economic collaboration with Latin American countries will drive such countries to adopt foreign and domestic politics friendly to China as well as China-favored policies. This article tests the power of such arguments by examining the impact of Chinese outward FDI (OFDI) in Brazil, Brazil’s trade with China, and Chinese loans to Brazil on Brazil’s China policy. It finds that broad and deep economic ties indeed have pushed Brazil in the direction of China.

The Politics of Latin America’s Investment and Other Links with China

Jean-Marc F. Blanchard

There are three positions about the impact of outward foreign direct investment (FDI) from China on the policies of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries: the “Wealth is Power” camp, which associates political power with Chinese economic lures; the “Conditionalist” camp, which contends the international and domestic economic and political context determines the specific political effect of Chinese outward FDI (OFDI); and the “Politics is Power” camp, which believes no dramatic political changes have resulted from the economic stimuli of Chinese OFDI (COFDI) and associated economic lu

East Asian Integration: Goods, Services, and Investment

Lili Yan Ing, Martin Richardson, and Shujiro Urata, eds.

The recent rise of anti-globalization is putting trade liberalization under seige. This book sheds light on East Asian integration issues like rules of origin, non-tariff measures, and service and investment barriers with the goal of identifying how East Asia should shape their trade, investment, and industrial policies to produce better integration.

The Era of Chinese Multinationals: Competing for Global Dominance

Lourdes Casanova and Anne Miroux

Chinese multinationals have grown in size and increased their global presence, often with Chinese government backing. Chinese companies have become top players and formidable competitors for Western companies in many fields and brought about disruptive changes in the global economy in areas like investment, innovation, and trade. Through general analysis and case studies, this book examines the rise of Chinese multinationals and details their corporate characteristics and how they compete with Western multinationals.

“Why Unsustainable Chinese Infrastructure Deals Are a Two-Way Street.”

Matt Ferchen and Anarkalee Perera

Warnings about China’s debt-trap policy, pursuant to which it allegedly signs unsustainable deals with countries involved in its Belt and Road Initiative to obtain assets, became prevalent after 2018 following the Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port fiasco. This narrative assumes China has a strategic plan when the reality may be far more complex.

“Building a market economy through WTO-inspired reform of state-owned enterprises in China.”

Weihuan Zhou, Henry Gao, and Xue Bai

Regarding Chinese state capitalism, which seems to be strengthening with state-owned enterprise reform, there is a prevalent view that existing rules under the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework are inadequate for addressing it. This article questions the validity of this perspective through a careful examination of WTO agreements and jurisprudence. It specifically contends that countries can exploit current WTO rules pertaining to subsidies and China-specific obligations to tackle issues stemming from China’s state capitalism.

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