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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

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series

Feb 12, 2024

Don’t let geopolitics undermine Latin America’s hard-won free markets

By Stephen B. Kaplan

The United States is concerned about China’s close economic ties to Latin America and the Caribbean; however, the US response should be careful not to undermine longstanding market norms and popular trade liberalization policies

Caribbean China

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series

Feb 12, 2024

China and Russia engage Latin America and the Caribbean differently. Both threaten US interests.

By Ryan C. Berg

China and Russia are both seeking to deepen their influence in the Western Hemisphere at the expense of the United States, though the means by, and ends for, which they pursue that differ in some cases. China’s engagement is more thorough and multifaceted, while Russia’s is more circumscribed.

China Economy & Business

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series

Feb 12, 2024

Beijing’s influence on Latin America’s energy mix is growing—especially in renewables

By Joseph Webster, William Tobin

Russia and, especially, China are intertwined in Latin America’s energy market, with Chinese ties expanding markedly over the past two decades. The United States and its allies and partners must take quick action to counter this rising influence.

China Energy & Environment
Dedollorization and RMB internationalization

Econographics

Jan 22, 2024

Dedollarization is not just geopolitics, economic fundamentals matter

By Niels Graham, Hung Tran

Geopolitical explanations have dominated recent analysis on dedollorization. While it is certainly a key factor, macroeconomics matter as well. US interest rates and a rising dollar are encouraging other countries to search for alternatives.

Brazil China

Strategic Litigation

Dec 15, 2023

Strategic Litigation Quarterly Newsletter: Pursuing gender justice through international law

The SLP team has continued and built upon efforts to codify the crime of gender apartheid in international law, including by advocating for its inclusion in the UN Sixth Committee’s draft crimes against humanity treaty.

Afghanistan China

In the News

Nov 1, 2023

Global China Hub nonresident senior fellow Parsifal D’Sola quoted in The Economist

While speaking about the foreign policy of Colombia’s left-wing president Gustavo Petro, GCH nonresident senior fellow Parsifal D’Sola said “There’s basically no public policy on China” to The Economist.

China Latin America

In the News

Oct 26, 2023

Global China Hub nonresident senior fellow Parsifal D’Sola quoted in the Financial Times

Global Senior Hub nonresident senior fellow Parsifal D’Sola quoted in the Financial Times discussing China’s ambitions in Latin America. He says, “[Gaining a foothold in Colombia] would help with the distribution of products and technology services, among other Chinese interests, and given Colombia’s historical ties to the US, it would be a diplomatic win for […]

China Colombia

In the News

Sep 25, 2023

Tirziu in the New York Sun discussing the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation

On September 21, Aleksandra Gadzala Tirziu wrote a piece for the New York Sun making the case that the newly established Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation does not do enough to combat China’s rising influence in the Global South. As it stands, the Partnership aims to serve as a forum to engage in collective problem-solving and […]

Africa China

In the News

Sep 12, 2023

Guevara in El Heraldo de Mexico on China’s asymmetric capabilities in the naval domain

By Inigo Guevara Moyano

On September 12, Transatlantic Security Initiative nonresident senior fellow Inigo Guevara authored an op-ed in El Heraldo de Mexico on China’s asymmetric capabilities in the naval domain (text in Spanish). 

China Latin America

New Atlanticist

Sep 10, 2023

Experts react: Did India’s G20 just crack the code for diplomatic consensus?

By Atlantic Council experts

The Russian and Chinese leaders were not at the summit, but that did not stop the Group of Twenty leaders from approving an eighty-three-paragraph declaration that added the African Union to the group.

Africa Brazil
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