Chinese outward foreign direct investment (COFDI): A primer and assessment of the state of COFDI research

This chapter, entitled "Chinese outward foreign direct investment (COFDI): A primer and assessment of the state of COFDI research," provides an overview of Chinese outward foreign direct investment (COFDI). In this vein, it reviews the evolution of COFDI from the late 1970s through the present and contemplates the potential implications of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The former demonstrates that for the past 40 years COFDI largely has been about Chinese firms obtaining more of what they cannot get in China itself, that Chinese companies have repeatedly targeted the developed world, and that Beijing has played a very active role in shaping COFDI. This chapter further delves into diverse issues tied to the political economy of COFDI such as the effect of COFDI on Chinese foreign policy. Beyond this, it critically reviews the literature on COFDI, suggesting areas where improvement can occur. In toto, this chapter provides a primer on COFDI for the general reader, the political economist, and international business specialists. The chapter can be found in Ka Zeng, ed., Handbook on the International Political Economy of China (Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2019). More information about this book can be found at https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/handbook-on-the-international-political-economy-of-china.