서강대학교

초록/요약 도움말

One of the most discussed phenomena the last decades in international relations has been the emergence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as an increasingly influential global power. One of the aspects of this phenomenon is the intensification and diversification of interactions between the PRC and different regions of the world, including Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). There have been a number of studies describing and analyzing economic links between the PRC and LAC, however other dimensions, such as political, security, and military have been less researched. Furthermore, although the objectives and motivations of the PRC to engage in this region are matters of concern for different authors, policy makers, and politicians, there have not been serious investigations about the long-term agenda of China in the region. This study provides three different explanations of China’s engagement in LAC generated from an exhaustive analysis of Chinese foreign policy on this region and current activities that China is developing in each country in the region. First, a minimalist hypothesis asserts that China’s main objective in the region is limited to economic matters, especially obtaining natural resources to feed its economic growth. Secondly, a maximalist hypothesis states that China is looking for increasing its power, diminishing American hegemonism in its own sphere of influence. Finally, a moderate hypothesis underlines the uncertain, flexible and changing nature of Chinese motivations in its engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean.