China en América Latina: los casos de Ecuador y Perú entre los años 2009-2012, ¿es posible una apuesta hacia el futuro?

Abstract

In contrast to a few decades ago, the current Chinese economic dynamism has promoted a higher activity level in its relations with Latin American countries. Within Latin America, in the Andean region, Ecuador and Peru experience an increasing inflow of Chinese capitals looking to secure the raw materials needed to support what is now the “world factory”, based on an economic view of the Chinese phenomenon that hides the political and social situation of the Asian giant. This article reviews the historical development of China’s foreign policy towards Latin America, since the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by Mao Zedong in 1949, until today in the early twenty-first century, and describes, through the cases of Ecuador and Peru, the current characteristics of China’s relationship with Latin America. Although the context suggests a growing Chinese threat to Latin American economies, a thorough study could provide the basis for a pragmatic and urgent integration in the region.