In December 2016, Asian Perspective, a leading academic journal focused on global, regional, and transnational issues affecting Northeast Asia, published a special journal issue on “The Political Economy of China—Latin America Investment Relations” (Vol. 40, No. 4, Oct.-Dec. 2016). The special issue, featured on this webpage, was orchestrated by the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations (Wong MNC Center) and flows from a Wong MNC Center sponsored panel on China-Latin American investment relations that took place in 2015 at the Association of Chinese Political Studies annual meeting held at Peking University (Beijing, China).
Wong MNC Center News
January 17th, 2017
December 12th, 2016
At the “New Developments for Japanese and Chinese Firms” conference recently held in Tokyo academic presenters from China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the United States, and Sweden gathered to discuss their research on a diverse set of topics relevant for Japanese and Chinese firms. They spoke about Japanese investment in China from a historical and contemporary vantage point, growing Chinese and Japanese interest in and investment in the Arctic, the shifting situation vis-à-vis Chinese investment in Japan, and Chinese and Japanese investment in infrastructure with a focus on rail infrastructure investment in Southeast Asia.
December 12th, 2016
At opening of the “New Developments for Japanese and Chinese Firms” conference, Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard, Executive Director of the Wong MNC Center, delivered a keynote address entitled “Patterns in Chinese Outward FDI and its Implications for Japanese Firms.” Dr. Blanchard started by providing background information on Chinese outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) from the 1970s through the 1990s, covering its volumes, sectoral destinations, geographic patterns, and drivers at the macro- and micro (firm) levels. He noted government support, direct and indirect, always has been an important force shaping Chinese OFDI (COFDI). As far as the contemporary period is concerned, he pointed out not only that COFDI volumes are increasing, but also that deal size has been increasing. He also noted while Europe and North America are not new destinations for COFDI, they seem to have greater contemporary relevance. As for the sectoral destination of COFDI, Dr.
December 12th, 2016
At opening of the “New Developments for Japanese and Chinese Firms” conference, Mr. Naoyuki Haraoka, Executive Managing Director of the Japan Economic Foundation (JEF), delivered a keynote address entitled “Japanese FDI in Asia and Asian FDI in Japan.” Mr. Haraoka began his speech by providing background on JEF’s origins and its evolving areas of research. He provided rich data showing that Japanese outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), already substantial, has been increasing overseas and that commensurate with this the overseas production activity of Japanese firms has been significantly increasing. While the United States has been Japan’s most important investment destination, Mr. Haraoka noted that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), particularly Myanmar and Vietnam, and China also have been very important, with some fluctuations in Japanese OFDI (JOFDI) volumes due to political and economic reasons.
November 26th, 2016
On November 19 and 20, 2016, the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations (Wong MNC Center), in conjunction with the School of Advanced International and Area Studies (SAIAS) at East China Normal University (ECNU), the local host and co-sponsor, held, in Shanghai, an international conference on the Political Economy of China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative (MSRI), a major policy initiative of the Chinese government under current President Xi Jinping, and Southeast Asia. Presenters included researchers and scholars from universities and official and non-official think tanks in China, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, among others.
November 6th, 2016
Dr. Hwy-Chang Moon has joined the blogger community for the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations. Hwy-Chang currently is a professor at Seoul National University and editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Business and Economy. He will share his expertise on MNCs/FDI, Korean MNCs, development issues, and international business strategy. For more information about Dr. Moon, please see https://mnccenter.org/research-fellows.
September 26th, 2016
Mr. Javier Luque (Colombia) a Ph.D. student with the School of Advanced International and Area Studies at East China Normal University (China), and Ms. Yifan CHEN, a MPA student with the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California (USA) have joined the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations (Wong MNC Center) as, respectively, Senior Research Assistant and Research Assistant. Javier will assist with projects relating to Chinese outward FDI in Latin America and theories of Chinese FDI. Yifan will assist with the Wong MNC Center's weekly news summaries, various data gathering, analysis, and presentation projects, and various special projects. For more information, please visit http://mnccenter.org/research-fellows-and-assistants.
September 19th, 2016
In conjunction with the publication of a report on Chinese investment in the US by a leading US think tank, Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard, Executive Director of the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations, was interviewed by Sina Finance on Sunday, September 18 about anti-globalization sentiments in the US and the impact that it might have on the U.S. stance towards China and bilateral economic relations. He also was asked about the attitude of Beijing and Washington towards concluding a China-US Bilateral Investment Treaty. A copy of his remarks is available on http://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/usstock/c/2016-09-18/doc-ifxvyqwa341327....
August 3rd, 2016
Dr. Jose-Augusto Guilhon-Albuquerque, a Senior Research Fellow of the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations, has been named a Special Advisor to Brazil's Trade and Investment Agency CEO as well as a Special Advisor to Brazil's Secretary of Foreign Relations. Further information about Dr. Guilhon-Albuquerque can be located at https://mnccenter.org/research-fellows-and-assistants.
July 21st, 2016
The Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations (Wong MNC Center) will co-sponsor and co-host an international workshop with the College of Business, Rikkyo University (Tokyo, Japan) in early 2016. This workshop, entitled “New Developments for Japanese firms in China and Chinese firms in Japan: Implications for Investment, Trade, and other Bilateral Economic Interactions” will be held at Rikkyo University and will explore how changes in the business environment within China and Japan, in the bilateral relationship, and the broader regional and global political-economic context are affecting inter alia bilateral investment, trade, and tourism. The workshop also will consider how bilateral trade, investment, and other economic variables may be influencing broader political-economic dynamics between the two countries.
