ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book reviews China's state-initiated and export-driven industrialization efforts in the post-1978 period. Over the last three decades, China's industrial policy has evolved considerably, with different priorities in different eras. The book examines China's efforts to build up its pillar industries and to nurture emerging strategic industries. Higher degrees of market liberalization and economic opening in eastern regions led to higher concentration of foreign investment and trade activities, and hence more rapid industrial growth. The book discusses China's industrialization from a regional development perspective. It explores the growth potential of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its impact on the transformation of the Chinese economy. The book presents the patterns of capability building by studying local telecom equipment firms strategies and institutional environment. It finally analyses the nature of transnational corporations (TNCs) local networks and embeddedness, and discusses their implications for regional development.
