President Trump wants Latin American countries to approach Washington’s orbit, increasing the echoes of Monroe’s doctrine, when the United States claimed the western hemisphere as its domain.
This week, the leader of China, Xi Jinping, is the host of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and other leading officials in Latin America and the Caribbean in Beijing to underline that China intends to maintain a firm position. Many Latin American governments are also due to Beijing occur, Chieffly as an economic partner, but for some also as a counterweight for the power of the United States, experts said.
“What the People of Latin America and the Caribbean Seek Are Independence and Self-Determination, Not The So-Called” New Monroe doctrine, “” China’s Assistant Foreign Minter Daily, to the People of Daily, to the People’s Daily, to the People of Daily, to the People’s Dailyinging to the People’s Dilinging, for the people of the people of newspaper, to the people of the people of the people of the people of the people of the people of the people of the people of the people of the people. Warning the European powers that do not interfere with the Americas.
The Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, has said that the Trump administration “will put our region, the Americas, first”, and Mr. Rubios, first trip abroad, as secretary was for Panama, Guatemala and other countries in the region. But Trump Brow’s tariffs and threats to take care of the Panama Canal have unstable leaders in Latin America, especially in countries that are already cautious from Washington.
Even if Trump is not indicated by name in official statements of Mr. XIS’s meetings with Mr. Lula, and possible other Latin American officials, the involvement will be clear.
“Lula sees China as a partner to rebalance global power, not only as a commercial partner but as a geopolitical counterweight for US hegemony,” said Matias Spektor, a professor of international policy and relations at the Fundação Getulio University. “Lula’s strategy is clear: diversifying Brazil’s alliances, reducing Washington’s dependence and affirming Brazil as an engine and agitator in an increasingly multipolar world.”
Even so, behind closed doors, it is unlikely that China’s conversations with Mr. Lula and other Latin American and Caribbean leaders are only of mutual admiration. Mr. Lula is the most prominent of the leaders who met in Beijing for a meeting on Tuesday between Chinese officials and ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean states, or Celac, a group that does not include the United States or Canada.
He will also attend the recent elected president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, a former leftist rebel, Chinese media reported. But it was not clear who was more attending, and such meetings with China are assisted in the same way by ministers of foreigners and other government officials.
Around the last two decades, China became a prodigious buyer of minerals and other resources from Brazil, Peru, Chile and other Latin American clients. Chinese products, including cars and appliances, have filled markets in the region, and Chinese investments have financed bridges, dams and ports. Brazil and other great basic products exhibitors are, in part, the hope of repeating what happened in the first term of Mr. Trump, when China bought more soybeans, iron mineral and other products in Latin America in front of US tariffs.
Last year, the trade of goods between China and Latin America reached almost $ 519 billion, approximately twice the value of a decade ago, according to Chinese customs statistics
Mr. Lula, for all his friend, Beijing, has increased tariffs on iron, steel and fiber optic cable, products that come mainly from China. The Latin American countries are “enormously concerned” that Chinese exporters closed in the US market will divert cheap products there, flooding local manufacturers, said Ryan Berg, director of the America program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“These are countries that already have a history of protectionism and are interested in protecting local jobs and local industries,” Berg said in an interview. “Even Though Many Countries Like Brazil Have Good Relationships with Chine Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, Say, “” “” “” “” “” “” “” “”. “”
Mexico, the second largest Latin American economy after Brazil, until now has tasks of a more cautious approach to cut China, reflecting its much larger commercial ties with the United States, said Enrique Dussel Peters, professor of economy of the economy.
In fact, the diplomatic caution of Mexico denies a commercial relationship in which China is making great incursions. Based largely by an increase in Chinese cars on Mexico’s roads, Mexico now represents approximately 2.4 percent of China’s total exports. That places Mexico ahead of Brazil, which has a larger population and absorbs only 1.7 percent of China’s exports, such as the most important export market in China in Latin America.
“The Mexican elites and the government are torn in this new triangular relationship” with the United States and China, said Professor Dussel Peters, author of “Latin America, China and a great competence of power.” “This, however, will not be enough for Mexico, considering the massive presence of China in Mexico.”
Mr. XI has seemed optimistic that he can keep Mr. Lula and many other important Latin American leaders in part, partly through a simple persistence, and partly through continuous orders of iron ore, soybeans and other goods. Mr. Lula has also expressed the hope that China can help Brazil obtain profits in new technologies, including green space and energy.
When Mr. XI traveled to Brazil for a G20 leaders summit in November, he added in a state visit there. This year you can do the same when it is expected to visit Rio de Janeiro for a summit in July of the BRICS group of developing countries founded by Brazil, Russia, India and China. Mr. Biden’s only visit to Brazil as president, for the G20 summit, came only after having the presidential elections.
“The fact that we are much closer, but we have had high -level visits less frequently than XI is a barrier to regional prioritization and a bad signal from a strategic perspective.” Berg said. “I think that much of that will change with Rubio,” he said, and pointed out that Rubio is a fluid Spanish speaker familiar with the region.
The closest term, China can focus on more soybeans and other goods in Brazil. “There is anxiety for the displacement of China to Brazilian manufacturers, but the broader reality is clear,” said Professor Spektor, the Brazilian academic. “China’s demand supports the economic stability of Brazil.”
Simon Romero In Mexico City it contributed to inform.
