Considering the Long-Term Physical, Economic and Social Impacts of China's Recent Engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

China has been a major economic actor in Latin America and the Caribbean for over a decade now. Furthermore, many Latin American countries have been recipients of Chinese infrastructure projects that are driven by these economic, and sometimes diplomatic, motivations. A growing body of literature has emerged to assess China’s relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean and whether this increased involvement warrants concern. This paper is a review of that literature in order to gauge the physical, economic and social impact of China’s emergence on Latin America, with a particular emphasis on the Central American and Caribbean countries.