China must keep counteracting false stereotypes about its role in developing regions such as Africa

The scale of China's global engagement is astonishing. China is the key trading partner for most countries in the world and plays a central role in many international organizations and multilateral institutions.

Chinese companies operate in diverse economic sectors across the globe. After the global financial crisis broke out in 2008, China emerged as the world's leading creditor, overtaking the World Bank. Of the $500 billion it invested overseas between 2005 and 2012, three-quarters went to the developing world.