China's meteoric rise to become the world's second biggest economy and a global manufacturing center is sustained by ever-growing imports of raw materials and increasing investment abroad, often in under-developed countries shunned by the West for alleged human rights abuses or because they are considered too dangerous.
The investment has been accompanied by a wave of Chinese managers, technicians and workers, many employed by state-owned firms spearheading China's commercial expansion into Africa, Asia and Latin America. They seek promising foreign markets and access to resources that include oil, minerals and timber. These companies often bring their own laborers to do work that Western firms would usually hire local employees to perform.
With a population of over 1.3 billion, many of them still poor, China needs to provide as many jobs as possible for its citizens, at home and abroad. Beijing argues that to complete foreign projects efficiently, it must have a workforce that understands the Chinese language and is familiar with Chinese business practices.