Abstract
This article examines the rise of leftist ideology in Ecuador and Bolivia in light of their deepening economic relations with China from 2005 to 2014. First, it reveals that market trends account for trade fluctuations but fail to explain Chinese investment in, and some loan deals with, Ecuador as well as loans to Bolivia. Second, it demonstrates how these forms of funding provided alternatives to U.S.-led international institutions, enabling Rafael Correa and Evo Morales to steer away from Western influence. Third, it contends that four factors led to a cyclic reinforcement of Chinese economic interests and the rise of leftist ideology in Ecuador and Bolivia, namely: mutual complementarity between China’s demand for energy/natural resource supply diversification and Pink Tide development agendas; U.S.–China geopolitical competition for influence in Latin America; China’s experience in engaging with leftist governments from developing countries; and anti-Americanism shaping national identity in Ecuador and Bolivia.
Highlights
This article examines the rise of leftist ideology in Ecuador and Bolivia in light of their deepening economic relations with China from 2005 to 2014
The results reveal that while China’s trade with Ecuador and Bolivia is largely market-driven, investment and loan trends are influenced by their cyclic intertwining with shifts in Ecuadorian and Bolivian politics
I turn to argue that a combination of four factors led to the development of a cyclic reinforcement of China’s interests and leftist Pink Tide agendas: (1) the mutually beneficial aspect of strategic economic deals matching Chinese funding with Latin American natural resource extraction projects; (2) the role of geopolitical competition which encourages states to hedge between the United States and China; (3) China’s diplomacy of solidarity with developing countries, which helps foster relations with Latin America; and (4) the rise of anti-Americanism seen as a pillar of national identity formation in Ecuador and Bolivia, which indirectly incites their interest in China
Summary
This article examines the rise of leftist ideology in Ecuador and Bolivia in light of their deepening economic relations with China from 2005 to 2014 It reveals that market trends account for trade fluctuations but fail to explain Chinese investment in, and some loan deals with, Ecuador as well as loans to Bolivia. It contends that four factors led to a cyclic reinforcement of Chinese economic interests and the rise of leftist ideology in Ecuador and Bolivia, namely: mutual complementarity between China’s demand for energy/natural resource supply diversification and Pink Tide development agendas; U.S.–China geopolitical competition for influence in Latin America; China’s experience in engaging with leftist governments from developing countries; and anti-Americanism shaping national identity in Ecuador and Bolivia
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