State-directed multi-national enterprises and transnational governance : Chinese investments in Africa, corporate responsibility and sustainability norms

Abstract

Africa clearly needs foreign investments for its development. But such investments in extractive industries and hydropower projects should not cause ecological degradation and threaten the livelihoods of many Africans. Sustainability comprises economic, social and environmental dimensions and is thus a broad concept, rather describing a balancing act and a process of continuous improvement than an achievable target. The emphasis of this paper is on the environmental dimension of sustainability and how it sits with the other dimensions, particularly in Chinese investments in African states. The discussion is embedded into the general context of the rise of non-triad multinational enterprises and its implications for transnational regulation.