China in the Global South: Consequences for Economic Development

China has become a pivotal actor in the Global South, reshaping the economic and development landscape. Its unique approach raises questions about the short- and long-term implications for economic development. Jointly organized by the Asia Global Institute, the Kiel Institute China Initiative, and the Center for Modern East Asian Studies, this conference explores the causes and consequences of China’s economic engagement in the Global South, with a focus on its role in transforming economies, influencing global governance, and shaping development pathways. We aim to bring together scholars investigating the diverse impacts of these engagements.

Conference Program

08:50 – 09:00    Welcome

• Andreas Fuchs, Kiel Institute and University of Göttingen
• Heiwai Tang, Asia Global Institute, The University of Hong Kong

09:00 – 10:45    Paper Presentation I: Chinese Aid

• Antoine Boucher, University of Göttingen: Do All Roads Lead to Exports? Chinese Transport Projects in Developing Countries
• Joris Mueller, National University of Singapore: The Domestic Political Economy of China's Foreign Aid
• Felix Turbanisch, University of Göttingen: Tracking Chinese Aid through China Customs

10:45 – 11:00    Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:45    Paper Presentation II: Trade and Investment

• Samuel Siewers, German Institute for Global and Area Studies: The (Other) China Shock and the Brazilian Soy Boom: Cui Bono?
• Xinming Xia, Tsinghua University and Kiel Institute: The Effects of China's Investment on African Local Firm Performance under South-South Cooperation

12:45 – 14:00    Lunch (by invitation only)

14:00 – 15:45    Paper Presentation III: Globalization and Geopolitics

• Alexander Plekhanov, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development: Connector Economies in a Fragmenting World
• Austin Strange, The University of Hong Kong: Can Public Diplomacy Repair Reputation? Evidence from Chinese-financed Infrastructure in Indonesia and Kenya
• Keyi Tang, ESADE Business School: Commerce or Coalition: The Geopolitical Analysis of China’s Green Belt and Road Initiative

15:45 – 16:15    Coffee Break

16:15 – 17:15    Panel Discussion: Reshaping International Development Finance: China’s Rise and U.S. Retrenchment Under Trump

• Maria Adele Carrai, NYU Shanghai
• Andreas Fuchs, Kiel Institute and University of Göttingen
• Austin Strange, The University of Hong Kong
• Heiwai Tang, Asia Global Institute, The University of Hong Kong (moderator)

17:15 – 17:30    Closing

Program Committee:
Antoine Boucher, University of Göttingen
Andreas Fuchs, Kiel Institute and University of Göttingen
Moritz Schularick, Kiel Institute
Austin Strange, The University of Hong Kong
Heiwai Tang, Asia Global Institute, The University of Hong Kong