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Timely Commentary & Analysis

What’s next for Chinese investment in Latin America and the Caribbean?

by Isabel Bernhard

China’s investment in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has steadily grown in recent years, drawing attention from government and private-sector leaders throughout the region as well as the United States. Baker McKenzie and Atlantic Council experts provide their insights on the opportunities and challenges in working with China.

New Atlanticist

What the Lula-Xi partnership means for the world

by Atlantic Council experts

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Chinese leader Xi Jinping just met in Beijing, but it is who else came on the visit that reveals big changes ahead for the two countries and the world.

Chinese Investment in Lithium

The following infographics show various data points around Chinese lithium investment in the last several years. The infographics were created in March 2023.

The title of the infographic is “Powering Up: China’s Growing Lithium Market.” It presents a timeline divided into sections representing different years. At the top is a disclaimer which reads

A timeline of Chinese investment in lithium projects in Latin America

The title of the infographic is “Powering Up: Years with Top Chinese Lithium Investment Announcements”. The data is labeled

The years with the highest Chinese lithium investment

The infographic is titled

Countries with the highest Chinese lithium investment, 2018-2023

The infographic is titled,

Top 5 most valuable Chinese lithium investments in Latin America

The title of the infographic is “Powering Up: China’s Growing Lithium Market.” It presents a timeline divided into sections representing different years. At the top is a disclaimer which reads
The title of the infographic is “Powering Up: Years with Top Chinese Lithium Investment Announcements”. The data is labeled
The infographic is titled
The infographic is titled,

Latest Events

Online Event Fri, April 28, 2023 • 9:00 am ET

Paraguay’s elections and implications for the US, China, and Taiwan in LAC

In light of growing US-China and China-Taiwan tensions globally, a conversation on Paraguay’s elections and implications for all three’s diplomatic engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean.
Americas Democratic Transitions Economy & Business Elections

Reports and issue briefs

February 23, 2022

US-China vaccine diplomacy: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean

The implications of diverging COVID-19 responses, notably at the onset of the pandemic’s rise in the region, will reverberate beyond the health sector. What might the differing US and China pandemic approaches portend for future influence in the region? 

Read Report
May 12, 2021

China-LAC Trade: Four Scenarios in 2035

Drawing on economic modeling developed by the Pardee Center for International Futures at the University of Denver, as well as varied assumptions regarding economic growth and trade relations, this report outlines four scenarios for China-LAC trade through 2035

Read Report
March 16, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker in Latin America and the Caribbean

Our interactive maps track the percentage of the population of each Latin American and Caribbean country covered by current vaccine agreements; the total number of doses secured by each country and breakdown by supplier/vaccine; where each vaccine is being used across the region; and how many vaccines flow from each major producing country to regional destinations. The interactive maps are updated on a biweekly basis.

See the Tracker
December 16, 2020

Dealmaking with China amid global economic uncertainty

This report provides practical guidance for regional governments and companies interested in engaging China as part of their COVID-19 recovery, outlining the potential challenges ahead and ways to overcome them.

Read Report
March 5, 2018

China, oil, and Latin America: Myth vs. reality

This report seeks to uncover the facts of Chinese investment and lending deals in the Latin American energy sector, explains what is reality and what are myths, and provides pointed recommendations of how all parties can help shape a better energy cooperation.

Read Report
June 26, 2017

Chinese FDI in Latin America

In Latin America, Chinese firms are not only increasing their investment, but rapidly expanding to new areas of the economy. To explore the implications for all stakeholders in the region, the Atlantic Council, in partnership with the OECD, launched on June 26 a revealing study analyzing data not previously available to the public.

Read Report
August 29, 2016

Industrial Development in Latin America: What is China’s Role?

This report concludes that if Latin American countries grant recognition of China as a market economy, the state of Latin American industry will worsen and countries will have diminished capacity to use trade defense measures such as anti-dumping duties.

Read Report
October 4, 2016

A Globalized Renminbi

On October 1, 2016, the Chinese renminbi (RMB) joined the dollar and the euro as one of five official international reserve assets. By being able to conduct deals directly in China’s currency, the region now enters a new and uncertain financial era ripe with investment opportunities—but also with elevated risks.

Read Report

Experts

Staff

Pepe Zhang

Senior Fellow

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

China Coronavirus

Fellow

Craig Faller

Distinguished Fellow

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

National Security Security & Defense

Staff

Jason Marczak

Vice President and Senior Director

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Americas Caribbean

Content

New Atlanticist

Dec 19, 2022

As China’s influence grows, Biden needs to supercharge trade with Ecuador

By Isabel Chiriboga

Monday's White House meeting between Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso and US President Joe Biden is a golden opportunity to push mutually beneficial trade talks.

Americas China

Fast Thinking

Nov 21, 2022

The big success and bigger failure of COP27

By Atlantic Council

What other surprises cropped up at the conference? Our experts, who were on the ground in Sharm el Sheikh, are here to weigh in.

Brazil China

Timely Commentary & Analysis

Jul 25, 2022

What’s next for Chinese investment in Latin America and the Caribbean?

By Isabel Bernhard

China’s investment in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has steadily grown in recent years, drawing attention from government and private-sector leaders throughout the region as well as the United States. Baker McKenzie and Atlantic Council experts provide their insights on the opportunities and challenges in working with China.

China Economy & Business

Blog Post

Jul 15, 2022

State of the Order: Assessing June 2022

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Americas Brazil

In the News

Jul 11, 2022

Missing Key report cited in PanaTimes on CBDC trials using untested security protocols

Read the full article here.

Caribbean China

In the News

May 31, 2022

Pepe Zhang in Morning Consult: “Biden’s Pivot to Asia Has a Crucial Latin American Component That’s at Risk of Neglect”

On May 31, 2022, Pepe Zhang was quoted in a Morning Consult article, "Biden’s Pivot to Asia Has a Crucial Latin American Component That’s at Risk of Neglect".

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Apr 21, 2022

The North-South divide is growing. Can a new Bretton Woods help?

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

The growing divide is under the scanner as US Treasury Secretary Yellen and Colombian Finance Minister Restrepo both voiced a need to modernize the institutions.

Americas China
Map of the global south in which China uses discourse power.

Report

Apr 20, 2022

China’s discourse power operations in the Global South

By Kenton Thibaut

An overview of China’s discourse power activities in the Global South, including the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. It outlines the processes through which China leverages its diplomatic, media, and political positions in these regions to gain influence, and assesses the impacts of these activities for democratic resilience worldwide.

Africa China

New Atlanticist

Mar 3, 2022

Ecuador is a test case for how the US can counter Beijing’s influence in Latin America

By Gabriel Alvarado

Ecuador's dealings in China highlighted just how important it will be for the United States to nurture its ties with governments that have shown an interest in cooperating with Washington.

China Cybersecurity

Report

Feb 23, 2022

US-China vaccine diplomacy: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean

By María Eugenia Brizuela de Ávila, Bosco Marti, Riyad Insanally and Claudia Trevisan

The implications of diverging COVID-19 responses, notably at the onset of the pandemic’s rise in the region, will reverberate beyond the health sector. What might the differing US and China pandemic approaches portend for future influence in the region? 

Caribbean China
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