Congratulations to Prof Naubahar Sharif for receiving a HK$150,000 research grant from the Li & Fung Institute.
Title: Bottom-Up Dragons: How China's Borderland SOEs are Reshaping the Go Global Strategy in Southeast Asia
Abstract: This research examines how China's borderland state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are reshaping the "Go Global Strategy" through a bottom-up approach, focusing on three Yunnan province SOEs' infrastructure and energy investments in Southeast Asia. The study investigates how these local SOEs have leveraged geographical proximity, cultural ties, and local government connections to successfully compete with central SOEs in neighboring markets. The research challenges conventional understanding that central government SOEs dominate overseas investments, demonstrating how China's "Go Global Strategy" has evolved to incorporate diverse implementing agents, suggesting a more nuanced model of Chinese state capitalism where local actors play pivotal roles in expanding China's economic influence abroad.
