| Variable type | Variable name | Symbol | Meaning | Data source |
| Explained variable | China’s OFDI | OFDI | China ’s annual OFDI flow to the host country | Statistical Bulletin of Outward Direct Investment in China |
| Core explanatory variables | The Confucius Institute (Classroom) | CI | Total number of Confucius Institutes (Classrooms) in host country | Confucius Institute Annual Development Report |
| Control variables | GDP | GDP | GDP of the host country per year (US $ million) | CSMAR database |
| GDP per capita | PGDP | Annual GDP per capita of the host country (calculated in current US dollars) | CSMAR database | |
| Geographic distance | Distcap | Spherical distance between China and the host country ’s capital (km) | CEPII database | |
| Number of patent applications by residents | Patent | Number of patent applications by residents per year in the host country | World Bank database | |
| Bilateral trade volume | Trade | Annual import and export volume between China and the host country (ten thousand US dollars) | National Bureau of Statistics of China | |
| Time to establish diplomatic relations | Diplomacy | Years of establishing diplomatic relations between China and the host country | China Consular Service Network |