Spatial distribution pattern and its optimization strategy of China's overseas farmland investments

Overseas farmland investment is an "external program" contrary to the "internalization program" such as multiple planning integration and farmland protection, to solve the contradiction of food security and urbanization during the process of China's development. Though overseas farmland investment being a new investment tide for decades, research on overseas farmland investment is still in its infancy, with limited research dimensions and insufficient depth. How to establish a scientific and reasonable selection model of the host country for China as well as other countries has become an urgent academic and practical issue to decrease the investment risks. This paper analyzes the spatial distribution of China's overseas farmland investment with the investment samples from 2000 to 2017 and proposes its operational strategy. Here are the conclusions. (a) The obvious imbalance of the distribution of China's overseas farmland investment. Further research from a global perspective finds that the existent distribution pattern of China is not optimal. (b)The correlation analysis result shows the trends of overseas farmland investment with political stability and benefits seeking. (c) Host countries most suitable for overseas farmland investment are concentrated in Southeast Asia and along the equator in Africa and Latin America. (d) The existent distribution pattern for China's overseas farmland investment needs some proper adjustment. China should increase the scale of overseas farmland investment in non-traditional regions while strengthening the status of the core investment regions in Southeast Asia, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.