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The Rise of China’s Economy and Its Impact on the Ethnic Chinese Business Community: The Case of Cherry Automobile in Malaysia

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The Sociology of Chinese Capitalism in Southeast Asia

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Abstract

This chapter examines the internationalization of Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs) and interactions with the government, local ethnic Chinese partners, and suppliers in Malaysia as the economies of Malaysia and China become increasingly integrated through trade and investment linkages. By studying China’s Chery Automobile in Malaysia, the research found that the local ethnic Chinese community has benefited somewhat from business engagement with China’s MNCs and politically dominated government-linked companies (GLCs) in Southeast Asia by playing an intermediary role. The impact of increasing flow of Chinese capital into Malaysia offers some benefit to local ethnic Chinese businesses, but it has not fundamentally changed for the better the tense relations with the politically dominant ethnic group nor the overall business environment.

Part of the findings in this chapter was published in Journal of Contemporary Asia, Volume 47, No. 5, 2017.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of China Studies, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Danny Wong Tze Ken & Miao Zhang

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  1. Danny Wong Tze Ken
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  2. Miao Zhang
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Yos Santasombat

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Ken, D.W.T., Zhang, M. (2019). The Rise of China’s Economy and Its Impact on the Ethnic Chinese Business Community: The Case of Cherry Automobile in Malaysia. In: Santasombat, Y. (eds) The Sociology of Chinese Capitalism in Southeast Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0065-3_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0065-3_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-0064-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-0065-3

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