IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/jintbs/v53y2022i5d10.1057_s41267-021-00435-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Foreign direct investment along the Belt and Road: A political economy perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Jiatao Li

    (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

  • Ari Van Assche

    (HEC Montréal)

  • Lee Li

    (York University)

  • Gongming Qian

    (Southern University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

In 2013, China launched its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a large portfolio of infrastructure projects across 71 countries intended to link Eurasian markets by rail and sea. The state-led nature of the Initiative combined with its transformative geopolitical implications have conditioned the type of engagement that many governments and firms in host and third countries are willing to take in Chinese-funded BRI projects. Building on two theoretical streams that have originated in international political economy but have received growing attention in international business, varieties of capitalism and geopolitics, this perspective shows how a greater understanding of the institutional and geopolitical context surrounding BRI helps decipher the selection of host-country firms and third-country MNEs in Chinese-funded BRI projects. We portray firm selection in a BRI project as the outcome of a one-tier bargaining game between China and a host country. We show how institutions and geopolitics influence both the legitimacy gap of Chinese SOEs in a host country and the host country’s relative bargaining power, affecting the likelihood that host firms and third-country MNEs are selected in BRI projects. We also discuss the geopolitical jockeying strategies that these firms can adopt to influence the outcome of the bargaining game.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiatao Li & Ari Van Assche & Lee Li & Gongming Qian, 2022. "Foreign direct investment along the Belt and Road: A political economy perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(5), pages 902-919, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:53:y:2022:i:5:d:10.1057_s41267-021-00435-0
    DOI: 10.1057/s41267-021-00435-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41267-021-00435-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41267-021-00435-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra, 2018. "Thanks but no thanks: State-owned multinationals from emerging markets and host-country policies," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 1(3), pages 128-156, December.
    2. World Bank, 2019. "Belt and Road Economics," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 31878.
    3. Helen Wei Hu & Lin Cui & Preet S Aulakh, 2019. "State capitalism and performance persistence of business group-affiliated firms: A comparative study of China and India," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(2), pages 193-222, March.
    4. Sergio Mariotti & Riccardo Marzano, 2019. "Varieties of capitalism and the internationalization of state-owned enterprises," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(5), pages 669-691, July.
    5. Christina Lubinski & R. Daniel Wadhwani, 2020. "Geopolitical jockeying: Economic nationalism and multinational strategy in historical perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 400-421, March.
    6. Bora LY, 2020. "Challenge and perspective for Digital Silk Road," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 1804180-180, January.
    7. Dylan Sutherland & John Anderson & Nicholas Bailey & Ilan Alon, 2020. "Policy, institutional fragility, and Chinese outward foreign direct investment: An empirical examination of the Belt and Road Initiative," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(3), pages 249-272, September.
    8. Gu, Jing & Zhang, Chuanhong & Vaz, Alcides & Mukwereza, Langton, 2016. "Chinese State Capitalism? Rethinking the Role of the State and Business in Chinese Development Cooperation in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 24-34.
    9. Michael A. Witt, 2019. "De-globalization: Theories, predictions, and opportunities for international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(7), pages 1053-1077, September.
    10. Jiatao Li & Peixin Li & Baolian Wang, 2019. "The liability of opaqueness: State ownership and the likelihood of deal completion in international acquisitions by Chinese firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 303-327, February.
    11. Risto Herrala & Yandong Jia, 2015. "Toward State Capitalism in China?," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 14(2), pages 163-175, Summer.
    12. Hao Liang & Bing Ren & Sunny Li Sun, 2015. "An anatomy of state control in the globalization of state-owned enterprises," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(2), pages 223-240, February.
    13. Kobrin, Stephen J., 1987. "Testing the bargaining hypothesis in the manufacturing sector in developing countries," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 41(4), pages 609-638, October.
    14. Peter J Buckley & L Jeremy Clegg & Hinrich Voss & Adam R Cross & Xin Liu & Ping Zheng, 2018. "A retrospective and agenda for future research on Chinese outward foreign direct investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 4-23, January.
    15. John Cantwell & John H Dunning & Sarianna M Lundan, 2010. "An evolutionary approach to understanding international business activity: The co-evolution of MNEs and the institutional environment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(4), pages 567-586, May.
    16. Olga Petricevic & David J Teece, 2019. "The structural reshaping of globalization: Implications for strategic sectors, profiting from innovation, and the multinational enterprise," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(9), pages 1487-1512, December.
    17. Teece, David J., 2020. "Hand in Glove: Open Innovation and the Dynamic Capabilities Framework," Strategic Management Review, now publishers, vol. 1(2), pages 233-253, June.
    18. Gregory Jackson & Richard Deeg, 2008. "Comparing capitalisms: understanding institutional diversity and its implications for international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(4), pages 540-561, June.
    19. Ravi Ramamurti, 2001. "The Obsolescing ‘Bargaining Model’? MNC-Host Developing Country Relations Revisited," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 32(1), pages 23-39, March.
    20. Sarianna M. Lundan & Jiatao Li, 2019. "Adjusting to and learning from institutional diversity: Toward a capability-building perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 36-47, February.
    21. Yan, Zheng Joseph & Zhu, Jiuhua Cherrie & Fan, Di & Kalfadellis, Paul, 2018. "An institutional work view toward the internationalization of emerging market firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(5), pages 682-694.
    22. Gregory Jackson & Richard Deeg, 2019. "Comparing capitalisms and taking institutional context seriously," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 4-19, February.
    23. Alain Verbeke, 2019. "The JIBS 2018 Decade Award: Comparing capitalisms: Understanding institutional diversity and its implications for international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 1-3, February.
    24. Anthony P Cannizzaro, 2020. "Social influence and MNE strategic response to political risk: A global network approach," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(5), pages 829-850, July.
    25. Michael A. Witt & Gregory Jackson, 2016. "Varieties of Capitalism and institutional comparative advantage: A test and reinterpretation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(7), pages 778-806, September.
    26. Sarianna Lundan & John Cantwell, 2020. "The local co-evolution of firms and governments in the Information Age," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1516-1528, December.
    27. Ciprian Stan & Mike Peng & Garry Bruton, 2014. "Slack and the performance of state-owned enterprises," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 473-495, June.
    28. Prem Chhetri & Mathews Nkhoma & Konrad Peszynski & Anjali Chhetri & Paul Tae-Woo Lee, 2018. "Global logistics city concept: a cluster-led strategy under the belt and road initiative," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(3), pages 319-335, April.
    29. Ravi Ramamurti & Jenny Hillemann, 2018. "What is “Chinese” about Chinese multinationals?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 34-48, January.
    30. Eden, Lorraine & Molot, Maureen Appel, 2002. "Insiders, outsiders and host country bargains," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 359-388.
    31. Ming Hua Li & Lin Cui & Jiangyong Lu, 2014. "Varieties in state capitalism: Outward FDI strategies of central and local state-owned enterprises from emerging economy countries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(8), pages 980-1004, October.
    32. Simon Shen & Wilson Chan, 2018. "A comparative study of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Marshall plan," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 1-11, December.
    33. Li, Jiatao & Liu, Bin & Qian, Gongming, 2019. "The belt and road initiative, cultural friction and ethnicity: Their effects on the export performance of SMEs in China," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(4), pages 350-359.
    34. repec:tpr:journl:edfpol:v:14:y:2015:i:2:p:163-175 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Benfratello, Luigi & D’Ambrosio, Anna & Sangrigoli, Alida, 2023. "Foreign Direct Investments in Africa: Are Chinese investors different?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    2. Dragomirescu-Gaina, Catalin & Fassas, Athanasios P. & Philippas, Dionisis, 2024. "A Chinese clout on energy exports some countries cannot shake off," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    3. Jing Li & Daniel Shapiro & Anastasia Ufimtseva, 2024. "Regulating inbound foreign direct investment in a world of hegemonic rivalry: the evolution and diffusion of US policy," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(2), pages 147-165, June.
    4. Meyer, Klaus E. & Fang, Tony & Panibratov, Andrei Y. & Peng, Mike W. & Gaur, Ajai, 2023. "International business under sanctions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    5. Delios, Andrew & Li, Jiatao & Schotter, Andreas P.J. & Vrontis, Demetris, 2024. "Challenging the orthodoxy in international business research: Directions for “new” research areas," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(4).
    6. Siyue Chen & Yang Tan & Gengzhi Huang & Hongou Zhang & Hang Li, 2024. "China–ASEAN Tourism Economic Relationship Network: A Geopolitical Risk Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, November.
    7. Dong, Yan & Tian, Jinhuan & Wen, Qiang, 2022. "Environmental regulation and outward foreign direct investment: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    8. Xianjing Wang & Shouming Chen & Yueqi Wang, 2023. "The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Speed of OFDI under the Belt and Road Initiative," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, May.
    9. Jiatao Li & Ari Van Assche & Xiaolan Fu & Lee Li & Gongming Qian, 2022. "The Belt and Road Initiative and international business policy: A kaleidoscopic perspective," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(2), pages 135-151, June.
    10. Betina Szkudlarek, 2023. "Global Taiwanese: Asian skilled labour markets in a changing world," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(3), pages 573-575, April.
    11. Nan Zhou & Jiatao Li & Jue Wang, 2024. "Bilateral political tension and the signaling role of patenting in a host country," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(3), pages 396-407, April.
    12. Sumon Kumar Bhaumik & Saul Estrin & Rajneesh Narula, 2024. "Integrating host-country political heterogeneity into MNE–state bargaining: insights from international political economy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(2), pages 157-171, March.
    13. Caleb H. Tse & Klaus E. Meyer & Yigang Pan & Tailan Chi, 2024. "Evolution of MNE strategies amid China’s changing institutions: a thematic review," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(6), pages 657-675, August.
    14. Vivoda, Vlado & Matthews, Ron & McGregor, Neil, 2024. "A critical minerals perspective on the emergence of geopolitical trade blocs," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    15. Olivier Bertrand & Marie-Ann Betschinger, 2024. "Exploring the relationship between development aid and FDI from developed countries in developing countries: empirical insights from Japanese firm-level data," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(6), pages 782-795, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xu, Kai & Hitt, Michael A. & Brock, David & Pisano, Vincenzo & Huang, Lulu S.R., 2021. "Country institutional environments and international strategy: A review and analysis of the research," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    2. Olga Petricevic & David J Teece, 2019. "The structural reshaping of globalization: Implications for strategic sectors, profiting from innovation, and the multinational enterprise," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(9), pages 1487-1512, December.
    3. Pei Sun & Jonathan P. Doh & Tazeeb Rajwani & Donald Siegel, 2021. "Navigating cross-border institutional complexity: A review and assessment of multinational nonmarket strategy research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(9), pages 1818-1853, December.
    4. Matthew M. C. Allen & Geoffrey Wood & Mehmet Demirbag, 2022. "Developing theoretically informed typologies in international business: Why we need them, and how to do it," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(9), pages 2133-2146, December.
    5. Cheung, Zeerim & Aalto, Eero & Nevalainen, Pasi, 2020. "Institutional Logics and the Internationalization of a State-Owned Enterprise: Evaluation of International Venture Opportunities by Telecom Finland 1987–1998," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(6).
    6. Jiatao Li & Ari Van Assche & Xiaolan Fu & Lee Li & Gongming Qian, 2022. "The Belt and Road Initiative and international business policy: A kaleidoscopic perspective," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(2), pages 135-151, June.
    7. Yuanyuan Huang & Lu Shen & Chuang Zhang, 2022. "Home-country government support, the belt and road initiative, and the foreign performance of Chinese state-owned subsidiaries," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 1023-1049, September.
    8. Mike W. Peng & Joyce C. Wang & Nishant Kathuria & Jia Shen & Miranda J. Welbourne Eleazar, 2023. "Toward an institution-based paradigm," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 353-382, June.
    9. Ilgaz Arikan & Oded Shenkar, 2022. "Neglected elements: What we should cover more of in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(7), pages 1484-1507, September.
    10. Sumon Kumar Bhaumik & Saul Estrin & Rajneesh Narula, 2024. "Integrating host-country political heterogeneity into MNE–state bargaining: insights from international political economy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(2), pages 157-171, March.
    11. Buckley, Peter J & Cui, Lin & Chen, Liang & Li, Yi & Choi, Yoona, 2023. "Following their predecessors’ journey? A review of EMNE studies and avenues for interdisciplinary inquiry," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    12. Fan, Di & Zhang, Ya’nan & Huang, Xinli & Su, Yiyi, 2023. "Varieties of institutional systems, the belt-road initiative, and the patterned investment flows," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    13. Christian Falaster & Manuel Portugal Ferreira & Dan Li, 2021. "The influence of generalized and arbitrary institutional inefficiencies on the ownership decision in cross-border acquisitions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(9), pages 1724-1749, December.
    14. Iiris Saittakari & Tiina Ritvala & Rebecca Piekkari & Perttu Kähäri & Sami Moisio & Tomas Hanell & Sjoerd Beugelsdijk, 2023. "A review of location, politics, and the multinational corporation: Bringing political geography into international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(6), pages 969-995, August.
    15. Sergio Mariotti & Riccardo Marzano, 2019. "Varieties of capitalism and the internationalization of state-owned enterprises," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(5), pages 669-691, July.
    16. Luis Alfonso Dau & Aya S. Chacar & Marjorie A. Lyles & Jiatao Li, 2022. "Informal institutions and international business: Toward an integrative research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(6), pages 985-1010, August.
    17. Delios, Andrew & Li, Jiatao & Schotter, Andreas P.J. & Vrontis, Demetris, 2024. "Challenging the orthodoxy in international business research: Directions for “new” research areas," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(4).
    18. Liu, Xiaming & Yang, Na & Li, Linjie & Liu, Yuanyuan, 2021. "Co-evolution of emerging economy MNEs and institutions: A literature review," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    19. Shaker A. Zahra & Olga Petricevic & Yadong Luo, 2022. "Toward an action-based view of dynamic capabilities for international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(4), pages 583-600, June.
    20. Godinho, Manuel Mira & Simões, Vítor Corado, 2023. "The Tech Cold War: What can we learn from the most dynamic patent classes?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(6).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:53:y:2022:i:5:d:10.1057_s41267-021-00435-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.