The course will focus on Party-State-Business relations. China has a socialist, one-party government, and although the pressure from the global political and economic environment is pushing for more pluralism, this has only been somewhat achieved in the economic area. China’s one-party rule has responded to the international pressure and challenges by engaging in a process of creating a new institutional setup, while modernising and restructuring the remaining organisational system and allowing a plethora of social organisations and associations (shetuan) to develop. Nevertheless, the role of the party is crucial for understanding Chinese business environment, because the party control the appointment not only of important institutions and associations, but also the appointment of business leaders to the large state-owned enterprises (SOE). The SOEs are still important for the Chinese economy and most R&D in China take place in the large SOEs.

Peter Nolan, China and the Global Economy (in Chinese).