Redefining Alliances
The impact of China´s Rise on Latin American International Relations
A Special Issue of RBPI - 68 - N. 1 - 2025
China’s ascent has profoundly transformed contemporary global dynamics. As the world’s second-largest economy, it increasingly exerts influence across international trade, technology, and geopolitics. Initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative have significantly broadened China’s footprint in regions including Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Moreover, its competition with the United States is reshaping alliances and strategic frameworks, with far-reaching implications for global security and economic relations. By asserting itself as a global power, China is advocating for a new paradigm in international relations in terms of international norms, needing a critical reassessment of the policies of other nations.
Over the past decade, China’s engagement in Latin America has escalated markedly, reflecting its strategic and economic ambitions in the region. The country has emerged as a vital trading partner, particularly in sectors such as energy, mining, agriculture, and infrastructure. Recent investments in industrial supply chains have further consolidated China’s advancements in key industries, notably the electric vehicle sector. Through significant financial commitments and initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative, China has spearheaded infrastructure projects designed to enhance regional connectivity and foster development. Additionally, it has expanded collaboration in technology and education, establishing a robust network of diplomatic and commercial ties that is redefining the relationships between Latin American nations and global powers.
This special issue of the Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional – RBPI aims to explore China’s relations with Latin America, with a particular focus on Brazil. It will delve into various dimensions of China-Latin America-Caribbean (LAC) interactions, assessing their impact on the roles of the United States, Russia, and Europe within the region’s economic, commercial, and political landscape.
Key questions concerning China’s involvement in Latin America include: How have Chinese policies influenced the international relations of major Latin American countries, particularly Brazil? To what extent does China’s foreign policy in the region reflect broader systemic variables, such as shifts in the global balance of power and the rising influence of emerging economies? What identities, interests, and challenges may indicate China’s approach to Latin America in the 21st century?
This special issue invites contributions on the following topics:
China’s policies and strategies toward Latin America.
Cultural diplomacy initiatives undertaken by China in Latin America.
Determinants of Chinese development finance, direct investment, and trade in Latin America.
The impact of Chinese infrastructure projects, including the Belt and Road Initiative, on LAC development.
China’s engagement in LAC’s multilateral mechanisms and regional integration efforts.
China’s relations with major global powers, including the United States, the European Union, and Russia, and their implications for Latin America’s economic, political, and security agendas.
The effects of US-China competition on Latin America.
The 50th anniversary of China-Brazil bilateral relations and the associated challenges.
Collaborative efforts between China and Brazil within BRICS and the New Development Bank.
China-Brazil cooperation in international peace dialogue.
Danielly Ramos (Associate Professor at the Institute of International Relations of the University of Brasília – IREL/UnB) and Niu Haibin (Senior Fellow and Director of the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies - SIIS) will edit this issue.
All submissions must be original and unpublished, must be written in English, including an abstract between 80 and 120 words, must include from 4 to 6 keywords, and observe the Chicago system (author data) strictly. They must have between 7000 and 8000 words (including title, abstract, bibliographic references, and keywords). RBPI general author’s guidelines can be found here. Submissions must be done at http://www.scielo.br/rbpi (Online Submissions).
Articles may be submitted from November 11th until March 31st, 2025.
RBPI is published exclusively online at Scielo (http://www.scielo.br/rbpi), following the continuous publication model. This model gives faster publication for authors and faster access for readers because the articles are published online at the very moment their editorial production is finished.
The first segment of articles will be released in June, 2025.
