We argue in this paper that emerging market multinational enterprises (EM MNEs) cope with institutional voids by integrating market and nonmarket strategies when they enter into foreign markets. Specifically, we examine the distinct roles of “institutional ties ambidexterity” in EM MNEs’ international exploration and exploitation. We further examine the conditions that are likely to amplify or reduce the effect of institutional ties ambidexterity. Longitudinal data for a period of 1999-2013 on a sample of 715 Chinese MNEs provide strong supports for the hypotheses.