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Pulling the Region into its Orbit? China’s Economic Statecraft in Latin America

  • Wei LiangEmail author
RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Abstract

Latin America is a critical region for analyzing China’s economic statecraft. Following the Monroe doctrine, Latin America has long been seen as part of the sphere of U.S. influence. For the purpose of studying the effectiveness of China’s economic statecraft I will focus on two countries that stand on opposite extremes: Brazil and Mexico. Both countries happened to be important target states (strategic partners) of China’s economic statecraft in the region, albeit for different political and strategic goals. In this paper I will compare the different domestic political and economic conditions, interests and institutions in these two countries to explain why China has made greater progress in projecting its economic power through trade and investment to pursue its political goals with Brazil, but has not succeeded in Mexico.

Keywords

Economic statecraft China Latin America Mexico Brazil Trade Investment Foreign policy 
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Copyright information

© Journal of Chinese Political Science/Association of Chinese Political Studies 2019

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Graduate School of International Policy and ManagementMiddlebury Institute of International Studies at MontereyMontereyUSA

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