Is south-east Asia the next destination for outbound investment?

Ma was quoted in the People's Daily that ASEAN countries (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) offer attractive investments opportunities for Chinese enterprises that want to expand internationally. Most ASEAN countries are emerging markets with rapid economic growth, great natural and labour resources and are geographically close to the mainland.

Alex Zhang, head of White & Case's M&A practice and based in Shanghai noted there has only been a small increase in outbound investments to ASEAN countries. “The volume is increasing and it is a positive sign for investment in the region,” he said. He also noted that: “there are a lot more interesting projects and opportunities in ASEAN countries,” adding that infrastructure and mining projects remain an interesting area for Chinese companies in these countries.

The Chinese government offers strong support for outbound investment in ASEAN nations. The $10 billion China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund and substantial loans for infrastructure projects help entice potential investors.