Lessons for Europe? Understanding China’s Engagement in Latin America
Creutzfeldt, B., Dourado, L. and Ferchen, M. (2024). Lessons for Europe? Understanding China’s Engagement in Latin America. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/international/21118.pdf
China’s economic and political importance in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has been growing rapidly since the turn of the millennium. Economic and trade relations are increasingly intertwined. China is now one of the top trading partners for the region’s largest economies, including Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia. In recent years China has also carved out an important role as a lender and investor through its development banks. Direct investments by Chinese companies, for example in infrastructure projects in the energy or transport sectors, are also an important part of its economic influence on the region. Numerous countries have joined China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI), which aims to expand regional and global infrastructure. During the Covid-19 pandemic, China supported the efforts of many Latin American and Caribbean countries to fight the spread of the virus early on, for example with protective masks and vaccines, accompanied by high-profile campaigns. As the region’s states grapple with severe economic and financial difficulties, Latin American and Caribbean governments across the political spectrum seem to view China as a pragmatic and reliable potential partner, although China’s culture and political system alienate many.
