China-Latin America and the Caribbean Relationships: History, Aspects and Implications

Abstract

According to reports from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in 2014, China became the first world power ousting the United States. This growth implies the need for access to a large amount of energy resources and raw materials. While in the past China was able to be self-sufficient, this is now impossible because the difference between what China consumes and what it produces is widening. For this reason, it is necessary for Beijing to carry out foreign relationships and policies that will enable it to meet its own needs. It is in Africa and in Latin America and the Caribbean where, over the last few decades, China has focused and directed its foreign policy. The aim of this paper is to provide a historical overview of the relations betweenChina and Latin America and the Caribbean, toanalyze the different aspects into which they aredivided, to identify similarities and differencesbetween China's relationships with Africa andwith Latin America and to assess the implicationsthat these relationships could have for othercountries and regions of the world.