China’s Outbound Direct Investment: Risks and Remedies

Thilo Hanemann speaks on a panel on “China’s Overseas Investments: Trends, Patterns and Comparison” at the 21st Century China Program at UC San Diego’s conference at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.

China’s outbound investment is expected to increase by leaps and bounds in the next decade. Chinese companies are poised to become a major economic force in the global economy. Outbound direct investment by Chinese companies presents unprecedented opportunities for both Chinese companies and their global partners.

The relatively brief history of Chinese companies’ outbound investment indicates, however, that Chinese outbound FDI faces many hurdles both at home and in the destination countries. How can we assess the regulatory, financial, labor, environmental and political risks faced by Chinese multinational companies? What remedies can mitigate such risks for the Chinese firms, for the host countries of Chinese investment, and for the Chinese government and people?

A two-day conference will be held at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, on September 23 and 24, 2013, to gather leading experts, policy makers, and corporate leaders to examine the latest research on trends and patterns of Chinese outbound direct investments; the regulatory framework and policy environment in China and destination countries (particularly, but not only in the US); and the implications of Chinese outbound direct investment for China’s economic growth and the global economy.

The intended audiences include major Chinese companies, service providers in the area of overseas direct investment, policy makers, and scholars. All events will be in either English or Chinese, with simultaneous interpretation. The conference will build in time and opportunity for small-group networking among conference organizers, sponsors, and speakers.