Latin America and the Caribbean
Since 2010, China has been the most important export market for South America, and the second for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) as a whole. It is also among the top sources of foreign direct investment and sovereign finance. The impact of this new partner can be traced in a South American boom of agricultural and minerals commodities, as well as infrastructure construction throughout the LAC region.
This research program examines China’s impacts on LAC’s regional economies, environmental management and human development. In partnership with the Inter-American Dialogue, GCI researchers created the Chinese Loans to Latin America and the Caribbean Database to track loans from China’s two major development finance institutions, the China Development Bank and Export-Import Bank of China, to LAC governments and state-owned enterprises. Other research products, including the annual China-Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Bulletin and working papers, explore the most important economic flows between these two regions, and the impact of this new economic partnership on LAC’s sustainable and inclusive infrastructure and investment, economic diversification and environmental governance.
Research Highlights
Latest News and Publications
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China, Latin America and the Caribbean Deepen Ties as Chinese Firms Shift to Direct Investment and Infrastructure
July 30, 2024By Rebecca Ray In 2023, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and China continued to deepen their economic relations, with a record number of presidential visits and continued strength in Chinese investment and infrastructure in LAC. These are among the findings of... [ More ]
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China-Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Bulletin, 2024 Edition
July 29, 2024Over the last year, Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) governments took intentional steps forward in their relationships with China, with frequent visits to discuss the important emerging sectors, such as telecommunications and renewable energy supply chains. Concurrently, while lower-technology mineral and... [ More ]
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Feeling the Stones: Chinese Development Finance to Latin America and the Caribbean, 2023
June 14, 2024The Chinese Loans to Latin America and the Caribbean (CLLAC) Database, jointly managed by the Inter-American Dialogue and the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, recorded two new Chinese overseas finance commitments in 2023 worth a combined $1.3 billion. Both loans... [ More ]
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The Role of Development Banks in Catalyzing the Infrastructure of South America in the 21st Century
March 21, 2024While Asia continues to grow, South America remains stagnant. There are multiple reasons for this, but one major obstacle is the lack of investment in infrastructure. Development bank support for infrastructure investments in South America could unlock unlimited growth and... [ More ]
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Testimony before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission – Consumer Products from China: Safety, Regulations and Supply Chains
March 01, 2024Editor’s Note: The following testimony was delivered by Dr. Rebecca Ray to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission hearing on Consumer Products from China: Safety, Regulations and Supply Chains on March 1, 2024. Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before the... [ More ]
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Capitalizando a demanda da China por materiais de transição da América Latina e Caribe: uma nova agenda de pesquisa toma forma
November 08, 2023Por Zara C. Albright A capacidade anual global de geração de energia precisará ser 90 por cento renovável entre 2022-2030 para limitar o aquecimento global a 1,5 graus Celsius. Aumentos significativos na produção de materiais de transição, especialmente lítio e cobre, [ More ]
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Cómo aprovechar la demanda china de materiales de transición de ALC: Se perfila una nueva agenda de investigación
November 08, 2023Por Zara C. Albright La nueva capacidad de generación de energía anual global tendrá que ser un 90 por ciento renovable entre 2022 y 2030 a fin de limitar el calentamiento global a 1,5 °C. Se precisan aumentos significativos en la... [ More ]
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How to Stop a Boom from Busting: A Policy-Oriented Research Agenda for Capitalizing on China’s Demand for Transition Materials in Latin America
October 30, 2023Avoiding catastrophic climate change requires the dramatic acceleration of renewable energy deployment. This expansion is already occurring, with China playing the largest role in the expansion of solar and wind energy supply chains. Several of these supply chains begin in... [ More ]
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10 Charts for the BRI at 10
October 16, 2023By Lucas Engel and Oyintarelado Moses Ten years have passed since Chinese leader Xi Jinping introduced plans for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global infrastructure platform to increase connectivity, economic integration, growth and cooperation across the globe. To mark this... [ More ]
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The BRI at Ten: Maximizing the Benefits and Minimizing the Risks of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
October 09, 2023To mark the tenth anniversary of China’s historic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will be held in Beijing in mid-October, with several international leaders scheduled to attend. The BRI is an... [ More ]