Understanding the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative: Renewing China-Latin America´s Economic Cooperation?
Santa Gadea, R. (2018). Understanding the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative: Renewing China-Latin America´s Economic Cooperation? In ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, 18 (1), pp 66-69. David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS), Harvard University. https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/understanding-the-chinese-belt-and-road-initiative/
It is argued that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has progressively become a global initiative for China. One expression of that is the invitation made by President Xi to Latin American countries, for becoming part of it. The task for us is deepening our understanding of the initiative in order to design a strategy on how we could be involved and what are the advantages and the risks. Few principal points stand out. First, the key concept is connectivity (by land and by sea) but we should not reduce the Initiative to investments in infrastructure. Another key concept relates to “economic corridors.” National involvement in BRI should include ways of working in the five pillars of the Initiative and not only in one. In fact, BRI seems to be more like a comprehensive program for economic integration. On this basis the article suggests a strategic vision for Peru and South America.
