How Do Inland Provinces Participate in China's International Economic Cooperation? A Case Study of Hunan's Approach to Africa

ABSTRACT Although there has been extensive research about the overseas engagement of China's coastal and border local governments, the participation of inland provinces, which lack geographical advantages, remains underexplored. Specifically, what motivates their selection of targeting regions? How do inland provinces win domestic competition to gain central policy support? And how do they serve the central government's goals while achieving their local interests? This article uses local government‐company collaboration to explain the participation of inland local governments in international economic cooperation. It argues that some inland local governments collaborate with local companies to secure central frameworks and become new “bridgeheads.” Besides, by leveraging local companies, inland local governments can also achieve their local economic interests while serving central objectives. This article uses the case of Hunan's Africa strategy initiated around 2015 to provide evidence. It aims to broaden our understanding of how Chinese local governments participate in international economic cooperation.