Global China, Cooperative Migration Diplomacy and the Future of Transnational Labour

ABSTRACT This paper interrogates China's approach to transnational labour governance, especially in the context of its Global South interactions. By foregrounding overseas labour, the paper demonstrates how China embeds its global presence within host‐state legal and political frameworks, limiting diplomatic escalation while sustaining long‐term partnerships. In doing so, the paper advances a place‐sensitive account of South–South migration diplomacy and contributes to broader debates of China's global influence. At the same time, the analysis problematizes the costs of cooperation, particularly for overseas workers' protection and well‐being. It highlights how the cooperative orientation marks a significant departure from the largely unquestioned assumption for state interference on behalf of citizens beyond national borders. To develop the arguments, the paper employs a mixed‐methods approach, combining computational scraping of media outputs, qualitative field interviews and interpretative contrapuntal reading.