Final answer:
Overseas Chinese business families benefit from or navigate different nation-state regimes by utilizing social networks called guanxi, participating in international markets enabled by looser regulations in countries like China and India, and adapting to socio-economic environments using historical connections.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Aihwa Ong, overseas Chinese business families seek to benefit from or navigate different nation-state regimes through a variety of strategies informed by historical patterns of interaction and adaptability. These families and businesses maneuver around varying state policies by leveraging guanxi, which are social networks of influence and reciprocal favors. The guanxi system is a cultural practice deeply embedded in Chinese society, extending even to those overseas. By utilizing these networks, Chinese businesses secure better opportunities and navigate political and economic landscapes skillfully.
In addition, the overseas Chinese have been instrumental in promoting global business arrangements, benefiting from the historical tribute system which allowed them to conduct trade under specific imperial terms and gain political legitimacy. Furthermore, countries like China and India have loosened market restrictions, allowing businesses more freedom to operate internationally and benefit from abundant, inexpensive human capital.
Despite facing difficulties, such as discrimination and the Japanese occupation, overseas Chinese leveraged their colonial economic connections and adapted to post-World War II environments. Even amid domestic challenges posed by systems like hukou and the emerging social credit system, overseas Chinese entrepreneurs manage to find ways to sustain and grow their economic ventures.