First Published in 2006.

`The authors have done an excellent job explaining the development and practice of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI). Under the recent recognition of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Asia and its strong emphasis by US and European corporations, this book provides important guidance to students and professionals who are interested in the effects and implications of SRI. This book is truly informative and should be on the reading list of all fund managers and CFOs of international corporations which are serious about CSR.' - Louis T.W. Cheng, Hong Kong Polytechnic University `Individual investors and corporate heads have the responsibility to keep abreast of major changes in the marketplace. Socially responsible investment is one of those changes. Fung, Law and Yau provide, in a single source, a great opportunity to get up to date on an area that will be a force for years to come. I encourage any thoughtful investor or manager to read this book.' - Thomas Schneeweis, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, US Socially responsible investment (SRI) is becoming increasingly popular and can be potentially rewarding to all parties concerned. This book discusses the opportunities, challenges, and practices of SRI in a global financial environment in a consistent and integrated framework of risk management. It also covers a wide variety of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues related to various participants, such as values-based retail, institutional investors, corporations, banks, supranational agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Readers are provided with the perspectives of SRI from various players in the financial community - from values-based investors to fiduciaries to supranational agencies. The authors analyse the incorporation of ESG issues into investment practices within a regulatory, legal, reputational, and operational risk management framework. Academics, corporate executives, government regulators and policymakers, bankers, and non-governmental organizations involved with sustainable development will find much of interest in this book.

China emerged as the largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the fifth largest trading nation in the world in 2002. China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) represents a huge stride forward in its reform efforts. These reforms include liberalization and modernization of China's economy (in industrial, services, and agricultural sectors) and trading activities. China's growing economy, its international trade, and its large inward FDI have significantly affected the growth of global trade, the distribution of global direct investments, and the pace of expansion of global output. There is no other country in history, as a WTO member, to have achieved such expansion in a comparable time period. China is expected to be influential in future rounds of WTO trade negotiations. As the only major trading nation that is not classified as an advanced industrial economy, China is bringing an unparalleled perspective to the negotiations and exerting its power on matters important to its trade. China, as a new WTO member, is posing momentous opportunities and challenges to the United States and other countries. A study of the Chinese economy after entering the WTO should be of importance to practitioners, scholars, and policymakers because of China's vast size, its rapid growth in foreign trade and FDI inflows, and the unprecedented speed of its integration into the world economy. The high quality of the chapters within this volume and their authors' expertise unite to make this book a most timely contribution to our understanding of China's rapidly changing economy and its transformation toward globalization after entering the WTO. This volume is divided into four parts. The first part deals with economic performance after China's accession to the World Trade Organization. The second part relates to the WTO and China's economic welfare. The third part deals with China's financial reforms and capital markets, and the last part discusses China's industrial and agricultural development. In total, we have eighteen chapters that will shed light on the Chinese economy and the challenges posed by WTO membership.

Based on rigorous state-of-the-art research techniques, this book deals with critical issues regarding China's financial markets and foreign direct investment -- key components of China's economic transformation.

In recent years, the globalization of financial asset markets has become increasingly important and has led to closer linkages among these markets. New global investment instruments such as sovereign credit default swaps, exchange traded funds, and bond markets have been created, enabling investors to fine tune their investment portfolios to their likings. Financial investments have been further expanded to include real asset investments such as real estate investments. It is important for global investors to make proper decisions in assessing these investments in their asset allocations and for policymakers who can provide sound policy guidance to cope with the globalization of the financial markets. This volume contributes to a fresh perspective on the economic and finance research on international financial markets and also the commodity markets. It enables scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to better understand the changes and dynamics of commodity and financial asset trading following the recent global financial crisis. This volume contains a comprehensive analysis of international financial markets through a series of essays from leading researchers in the field.

China's accession agreements to the World Trade Organization promised to open up the financial sector to foreign competition by the end of 2006, affording a wealth of opportunities for domestic and international investors. However, there also exist inherent risks and challenges, including inefficient financial markets, inadequate and fast-changing regulations, excessive governmental influence, and lack of transparency in accounting and corporate governance. The contributors to this book explore these perplexing and intertwined issues as they systematically document and analyze the capital market's development in association with the banking system and legal framework. China's economy has been growing rapidly since the late 1970s and is expected to maintain this momentum in the foreseeable future. Coupled with the biggest population in the world, there is tremendous growth potential for China's capital markets and financial services industry, both vital to the continued development of the economy. The contributors present research on all facets of China's markets including: stock and bond markets; futures and over-the-counter markets; regulatory issues; and the development and roles of financial institutions such as brokerage firms, banks and insurance companies. Also addressed are the recent performance of equity markets, the emergence of small and medium enterprises, and the state banks' bids to be listed in overseas stock exchanges. Taken together, the book sheds a welcome light on China's overall economic growth. This comprehensive look at the future of China's economy will be of great value to students and scholars of China. Investors and policymakers will also find it of great practical use.