The Belt and Road in Latin America: economic cooperation and development challenges in a competing regional scenario

FLORENCIA RUBIOLO

Workshop; Workshop on US-China-Latin America interaction and the emerging world order; 2021

Renmin University

The main pourpose of the paper is to analyze the possibilites and challenges for Latin America in the BRI context. Diversifying exports composition and adding value is a key chellenge for South American economies. Interregional competition logics and divisive integration strategias, undermine the region?s possibilities to identify common grounds vis-à-vis China. The investments in connectivity, transportations and logistics infrastructure, not only favors the trade relation with China, but also with all Latin American partners. Flourishing trade links started to be accompanied by institutional frameworks responding to Beijing?s growing will to understand and engage itself with the region from a multi-level perspective. The Belt and Road Initiative comes as a new brick in this already consolidated relation. Costs and benefits of integrating to it should be considered within this wider frame.