China’s Role at Global and Regional Levels from the Perspective of Trade and FDI Flows

Taking into consideration its economic scale and growth potential, we can assert that China represents a regional as well a global player. Gradually, its growth model centred on exports becomes one based on innovation in which exports have a complementary role. Our objective is to reflect China’s role in the field of trade and FDI at regional and global level as well as its transformation into an economy centred on innovation. Following this rationale, the present paper is structured around four main sections, as follows. First, we bring to the forefront the impact of the financial and economic crisis on the Chinese economy and on two of its growth engines: the internal demand and exports. Second, we present China’s trade in goods as one of the main engines of its economic growth. Third, we demonstrate that China represents the linkage between the Eastern, Southern and South-Eastern Asian countries through FDI flows. Fourth, we reflect how China becomes gradually an economy centred on innovation.