This book analyzes the Chinese-centered globalization ‘from below’ brought about
by China’s entrepreneurial migrants and conceived of as a projection of Chinese
power in the Belt and Road Initiative partner states. It identifies the features of
this globalization ‘from below,’ scrutinizes its mutually reinforcing relationship
with China’s globalization ‘from above,’ and shows that these two globalizations
are intrinsically related to the construction of a new international order. It outlines
how the actors in China’s globalization ‘from below’ include Chinese emigrants
who are located in informal transnational economic networks. It reveals that
Beijing has enacted many laws that compel these emigrants to contribute to
the development of their country of origin but also influences them through the
successful promotion of a specific type of deterritorialized nationalism; and that
China is ready to impose harsh punitive actions on political elites in partner states
which fail to protect its migrants or limit their economic activities. Finally, it
argues that China’s globalization ‘from below’ is fundamentally different from
the non-hegemonic globalization ‘from below’ represented by, among others,
Lebanese and East Indian traders, and that China’s globalization ‘from below’ is
rather a self-interested national strategy intended to support the construction of a
Chinese-centered international order