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International Journal of Frontiers in Sociology, 2024, 6(6); doi: 10.25236/IJFS.2024.060608.

Research on the Impact of International Public Opinion on China's Outward Foreign Direct Investment—A Case Study of Countries along the Belt and Road

Author(s)

Sun Xiao

Corresponding Author:
Sun Xiao
Affiliation(s)

Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China

Abstract

In recent years, as China's Belt and Road Initiative has been implemented, western countries have continuously created various public opinions to discredit the strategy. These opinions have obstructed the activities of direct foreign investment between China and the countries along the Belt and Road.This paper collects the average sentiment of public opinions in major countries along the Belt and Road from 2010 to 2018 using the GDELT sentiment database. It selects Malaysia, Laos, Egypt, and Kuwait as target countries for research, employing data analysis and case study methods to verify the correlation between international public opinion and Chinese enterprises' outward foreign direct investment in countries along the Belt and Road. It suggests better leveraging corporate public relations to mitigate public opinion risks, aiding Chinese enterprises in their “going global” efforts, thereby enhancing China's national image and soft power.

Keywords

GDELT sentiment database; Outward foreign direct investment; Belt and Road Initiative; International public opinion

Cite This Paper

Sun Xiao. Research on the Impact of International Public Opinion on China's Outward Foreign Direct Investment—A Case Study of Countries along the Belt and Road. International Journal of Frontiers in Sociology (2024), Vol. 6, Issue 6: 43-49. https://doi.org/10.25236/IJFS.2024.060608.

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