On the prospects for cooperation between China and Latin America

On the prospects for cooperation between China and Latin America On January 24, Buenos Aires hosted the seventh summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. Brazil returned to the forum after a two-year absence, while Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, by contrast, decided to skip the conference this year amid the risk of arrest by US authorities and their allies. ▪️The most notable event of the summit was the speech (https://t.me/asianomics/127) by Chinese President Xi Jinping. He drew attention to the importance of cooperation between the two regions within the framework of existing projects - One Belt, One Road, Global Development Initiatives, Global Security Initiatives, and also expressed hope for the participation of member countries of the bloc in other Chinese programs in the future. 🔻Why is China interested in partnering with Latin America? The PRC seeks to expand its sphere of influence through the so-called "South-South Cooperation" - a development program focused on partnerships between developing countries. ▪️China is looking for opportunities to reduce the external ties of political groups in Taiwan, in order to deprive them of access to local markets. In particular, the PRC authorities use infrastructure and economic projects in dialogue with the authorities of Latin American countries on this issue. This approach has proven effective to some extent: only eight countries in the region still officially recognize the island as a sovereign state. For example, "one China" was supported by the allies of the so-called anti-American bloc from Nicaragua. The same, after Chinese loans and significant investment in infrastructure, was done in the Dominican Republic. ▪️China considers Latin America as a promising market for goods, including military ones. Between 2009 and 2019, China sold more than $165 million worth of military equipment to Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, including aircraft, air defense systems and small arms. The PRC has also partially provided police equipment in some countries in the region. ▪️At the moment, Latin America is still the sphere of American influence in most social and economic issues. However, recently the White House rarely mentions investments in the economy of Latin America and trade with it, which brought criticism (https://t.me/meriblood/521) of Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador during the "Summit of North American Leaders". America." 🔻At the same time, the expansion of China is unlikely to take place here as quickly as in Africa. For example, the Brazilian authorities under the leadership of Lula da Silva are trying to block the creation of a "Free Trade Agreement" between Uruguay and China. According to the version voiced by the President of Brazil, he is concerned about the future of the MERCOSUR market, believing that China's strengthening of its position in the region could harm him. The opinion of Lula da Silva in this case coincides with the position of the United States, which is trying to complicate the penetration of China into Latin America. It can be assumed that in the future, other governments loyal to the American administration may begin to make statements about the “threat” posed by China to MERCOSUR and the region as a whole.

www.fotavgeia.blogspot.com