Belt and Road Initiative and China-Latin America Relations | A Iniciativa Cinturão e Rota e as relações China-América Latina

Abstract

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become a significant component of China’s foreign policy. Latin American countries were invited to participate in the BRI in 2018. Despite a considerable number of countries subscribing to the initiative, China has faced difficulties expanding the BRI in Latin America. The purpose of this paper is to investigate why Latin America is relevant to an Asian-centered project such as the BRI, how the BRI can influence the region's geopolitical and economic landscape, and what are the implications of this initiative for Latin American countries. This article argues that the future of the BRI in Latin America depends on China's ability to (1) address the concerns of countries that fear signing agreements related to the BRI amidst increasing competition between China and the US, and (2) make the BRI attractive to Taiwan's diplomatic allies.