China Engages Latin America: Distorting Development and Democracy?

This book explores China's engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean as a case study of its broader effort to create a global economic order. It highlights China's efforts to dominate global value chains, leverage technology, and use military components to achieve its goals. The book examines evidence for China's economically-focused strategy, including the interrelationships and coordination between Chinese activities in different sectors. It also looks at the supporting role played by Chinese initiatives such as the Belt and Road initiative, people-to-people diplomacy, soft power, security engagement, and the PRC's struggle with Taiwan for diplomatic recognition. The book emphasizes the implications for Latin America and the Caribbean, and for the U.S., whose prosperity and security are closely tied to the region.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive book delves into China's intricate engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, serving as a valuable case study of its broader endeavor to establish a global economic order that aligns with its interests while mitigating challenges from institutions, states, and other entities that may oppose it. Contrary to the prevalent portrayal of the Cold War as a purely political-military conflict, this work offers a unique perspective by emphasizing China's current efforts as primarily driven by its desire to dominate global value chains, with supporting political, technological, and military components. By leveraging and extending beyond dependency theory, which has played a significant role in regional academic and popular discourse, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of China's economic-focused strategy within Latin America and the Caribbean.

The book explores a wealth of evidence supporting China's economically-oriented approach within the region, shedding light on the interconnections and coordination between China's activities across various sectors and between commercial, political, and other dimensions. It also examines the supportive role played by a diverse array of Chinese initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative, people-to-people diplomacy, soft power, security engagement, and the PRC's ongoing struggle for diplomatic recognition in the region, among others.

The book highlights the profound implications for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as for the United States, whose prosperity and security are intricately linked to the region. By examining China's strategic endeavors and their impact on the region, the book offers valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of global power and the complex interplay between economic, political, and security interests. It serves as a crucial resource for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the evolving relationship between China and the world.

Weight: 529g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030960483
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022