Over the past two decades, China\u2019s presence has become ever more felt across the Global South. Whether through imports of raw materials, the ubiquity of Chinese-made products, or the emergence of Chinese investors and infrastructure companies, China has rapidly become a major actor in the Global South.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But why exactly? Through which companies and financiers? Regulated by whom? And shaped by what political and economic dynamics?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we try to answer these questions, it quickly becomes clear that \u201cGlobal China\u201d \u2013 the manifestation of China overseas \u2013 is often oversimplified and poorly understood. In this module, we will address some of the knowledge gaps on Global China. In doing so, we will attempt to build a more nuanced understanding of the multiple actors that make up this important phenomenon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Global South<\/strong> has emerged as a collective term for a diverse group of countries, both wealthy and impoverished, sharing common interests in redefining global power dynamics. It captures a wide spectrum of nations, including those in the Northern Hemisphere that identify as part of this group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n China is increasingly seeking to position itself as a leader of the Global South, in competition with India. In 2021, during the United Nations General Assembly, China\u2019s leader Xi Jinping emphasised this alignment: \u201cChina has always been a member of the Global South and will always belong to the developing world.\u201d He highlighted the significance of cooperation among developing nations and reaffirmed China\u2019s support for their interests and development. (The Decoding China Dictionary<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n As with all the modules in these learning materials, the purpose is not to provide specific answers. These would quickly find themselves redundant as Global China evolves, or would be irrelevant to your particular context. Rather, it aims to provide useful lenses and a foundation of knowledge through which to understand Global China in greater depth and complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s start by unpacking some of the motives of Chinese companies investing overseas. Why have they increasingly done so over the past two decades, in countries across the Global South, particularly in infrastructure and resource extraction?<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy are Chinese companies investing overseas?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n