Russia, China and the Pacific Countries of Latin America: Opportunities for Multilateral Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problems of the development of modern relations of Russia, China and the Pacific states of Latin America. Author focuses on potential of cooperation of these states in multilateral formats and dialogues and the reform of the economic and institutional order in the Asia-Pacific. The relevance of such cooperation is increasing due to the crisis of the international order that has emerged in the Asia-Pacific region. This crisis manifests itself in two aspects. First, we may observe a certain lack of institutions of regulation of economic relations and ideas for their further development. Such a complex agenda is shaped by Russia and China in relation to Eurasia (the concept of “Greater Eurasia”), but the promotion of a similar agenda in the APEC faces many contradictions. Second, the Asia-Pacific region is becoming an area of confrontation between the United States and China, which is also manifested in the struggle for the future configuration of the regional order in the region. The Pacific countries of Latin America were not affected by either the Russian or Chinese mega-initiatives of recent years, which are aimed precisely at creating a new international order. Meanwhile, these countries are APEC members and participants in many regional initiatives, as well as potentially significant economic partners for both Russia and China. Moreover, the author believes that a similar level of economic development and similar needs objectively bring together the views and approaches of the leading Eurasian powers and the Pacific states of Latin America to the development of multilateral institutions of the regional order. However, the historically established institutional and political linkage of these countries to the United States currently determines their support for American initiatives. This provision, however, is not a given, and some irregularity of the American regional policy under the Trump administration makes the development of dialogue with these countries on the broad problems of multilateral cooperation in Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region even more in demand. The author considers the proposed analysis and some conclusions as an opportunity for academic and expert discussion on the identified issues.