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Capital accumulation, territoriality, and the reproduction of state sovereignty in China: Is this “new†state capitalism?

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaobo Su

    (Department of Geography, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA)

  • Kean Fan Lim

    (School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)

Abstract

The portrayals of “new state capitalism†in both the popular media and policy-making circles have become a potent geopolitical category. This politically realist categorization is understandably popular because of its simplicity—states proactively participating in capital accumulation are construed as threats to institutions underpinning the “free market†. This paper complicates this portrayal by framing what appears to be a “rise†of state capitalistic maneuvers from China as a dynamic sovereignty–accumulation nexus. Specifically, Chinese state capitalism—and arguably state capitalism in general—constitutes the reproduction of sovereign rule. Underpinning this tension-filled process is territoriality: the use of territory for political, economic, and social ends. This dynamic relationship will be illustrated through an examination of how and why Yunnan, a southwestern Chinese province that was economically marginalized for several decades, emerged as a geostrategic platform for facilitating new rounds of capital accumulation. Through large-scale infrastructural investments in Yunnan, the Chinese state generated new territorial configurations that (a) enabled the positioning of Yunnan as a “bridgehead†of Chinese economic statecraft and (b) encouraged investments aimed at capturing new growth opportunities. While this state-led developmental process partially resolves tensions generated by previous rounds of capital accumulation, it also generates new tensions. Building on this case study, the paper demonstrates how Chinese state capitalism more accurately exemplifies a state-building process that is embedded in and is constituted by a central contradiction between the territorial and capitalistic logics of power. It concludes by presenting two directions for future research on Chinese state capitalism.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaobo Su & Kean Fan Lim, 2023. "Capital accumulation, territoriality, and the reproduction of state sovereignty in China: Is this “new†state capitalism?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 55(3), pages 697-715, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:55:y:2023:i:3:p:697-715
    DOI: 10.1177/0308518X221093643
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jennifer Bair, 2023. "Where is the world in the new state capitalism?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 55(3), pages 770-773, May.
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    3. Heather Whiteside & Ilias Alami & Adam D Dixon & Jamie Peck, 2023. "Making space for the new state capitalism, part I: Working with a troublesome category," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 55(1), pages 63-71, February.
    4. Suleyman O. Altiparmak & Cameron G. Thies & Shade T. Shutters, 2025. "The Geoeconomics of Renewable Energy: China’s Strategic Positioning and Impact on the EU Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-21, June.

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