Chinese enterprises are assuming an increasingly prominent role overseas, with Chinese outward direct investment (ODI) rising at an average rate of 36.4% each year since 2000. Yet, while welcome in principle by developing countries, the story about the impact of Chinese companies operating overseas has often been misunderstood. A new report, the 2015 Report on the Sustainable Development of Chinese Enterprises Overseas was launched in Beijing to investigate and counterbalance this narrative, with ground-breaking new evidence. 

Currently, Chinese companies are faced with a complicated international situation and a severe business environment while in the process of “going abroad”, many problems cannot be effectively addressed at the corporate level. Meanwhile, as the pace of “going abroad” increases, the international community continues to pay more attention to Chinese corporations’ sustainable development and their international performance of CSR, thereby expecting higher standards.