A comparative analysis of the Chinese construction industry internationalisation performance and sustainability : before and after entry into the WTO

The Chinese construction industry has developed dramatically in several aspects and there has been significant activity in the international market in the last decade following the entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Various indicators support the claim that the Chinese construction industry has experienced growth post entry into the WTO. However, these measures are simplistic and give little strategic direction to both firms and national and regional policymakers. The measurement of performance of the construction industry has largely been through macroeconomic indicators such gross domestic product and employee numbers. There has been some progress in recent years in relation to more informative analysis and comparisons in relation to international measures. Sustainable development is a significant research theme in various fields all over the world. As well as various developments to theory, the fundamental concept of sustainable development has expanded from only the environment perspective to now including economic, social and environment perspectives. As a resource-intensive industry, the construction industry consumes a numerous resources and produces much waste. Therefore, the construction industry is inextricably linked to the environment. Also, because of the importance of the construction industry to the economy and society in general, its role and interaction with the concept of sustaining development is quite significant. Many researchers believe sustainable development within the construction industry would bring great benefits for industry, society and the environment