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Kemel ToktomushevResearch Fellow, University of Central Asia
China’s presence and influence across the globe today is immeasurable. From Ecuador and Ghana, to Sri Lanka and Mongolia, Chinese companies are racing to develop new infrastructure projects and secure lucrative commodities deals. As a result, in many parts of the world China has emerged as the largest source of foreign direct investment, the largest source of development finance, and the largest creditor. These developments also turned China into the largest impact-maker for many states, whose economic well-being and socio-political status are now reliant on Chinese initiatives.
In well-governed states, Chinese projects have the potential to drive economic development in a sustainable and responsible way. However, in weak states, where state institutions are weak and local populations are typically excluded from development processes, Chinese projects face the added burden of building trust and cooperation with local