Foreign policy responses to China's growing presence in Latin America : the cases of Chile, Ecuador and Peru

Name: Fuentes, Miguel

keyword: Small states

; Foreign policy responses

; Latin America

; China

; Chile

; Ecuador

; Peru

Abstract: The new millennium marked the beginning of an increasing presence of China in Latin America. Starting with trade growth at unprecedented rates, the Chinese relations with the region have developed in different dimensions: political, economic, socio-cultural and strategic. Moreover, the Asian power has had a structured approach to this relationship, based on the China’s Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, issued in 2008. On the other side, Latin America has benefited from this new scenario, particularly with the high demand of commodities and significant flows of investment and cooperation from China. However, the region has not reacted as a single bloc and, considering the remarkable variety of states in Latin America, every nation has performed according to their capabilities and restraints. Therefore, this research argues that a more detailed consideration on the foreign policy responses of particular Latin American countries would be a positive contribution in order to understand the dynamics of the relationship with the Asian major power using the small states’ perspective. The author examines the cases of Chile, Ecuador, and Peru in order to identify and analyze the foreign policy responses implemented by each Government regarding China’s growing presence during 2001-2015, with a view to identify patterns or differences in the foreign policy actions, as well as policy recommendations. The three states share similar characteristics: geographically located in South America, neighboring countries with Pacific coast and Andean topography that provides them vast amounts of natural resources. The nations are identified as emerging economies and commodity exporters. In addition, the trio has established formal strategic partnerships with China. For Chile, the analysis showed that the country responded China by adopting an active foreign policy. Its actions fulfill the two criteria related to that concept: independent initiatives and willingness to bear costs. However, the relation is narrowed only to commercial terms. Ecuador is the country that appears to manage its foreign policy toward China’s presence in the way of bandwagon with the search of profit. Though, the degree of dependence that the small state develops with the bandwagon power could be a straightjacket for its policy alternatives. The Sino-Peruvian relationship has been mainly driven by the commercial ties. Yet, during the period of analysis, it was found that the small state was able to introduce certain new elements to the bilateral links that politically upgraded and partially diversified the relationship, adapting the buffering or regionalism response towards China to its own particular context

Thammasat University. Thammasat University Library

Address: BANGKOK

Email: preserv@tu.ac.th

Name: Chulacheeb Chinwanno

Role: advisor

Created: 2016

Modified: 2021-08-16

Issued: 2021-08-16

วิทยานิพนธ์/Thesis

application/pdf

DOI: 10.14457/TU.the.2016.1083

eng

DegreeName: Master of Political Science

Level: Master's Degree

Descipline: International Relations

Grantor: Thammasat University

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