China´s insertion in LAC and its impact on relations with Europe.

Abstract

China’s insertion in LAC is not the result of happenstance. Rather, it fol-lows a specially designed strategy that takes into account Latin America and the Caribbean’s peculiarities, and pursues geopolitical objectives with the fundamental purpose of building a strategic partnership. This strategy has been captured in successive Chinese Government docu-ments from 2008 and 2016, that evidence a firm decision in this regard. To date, LAC has failed to devise a response strategy towards China, alt-hough the relationship between them has evolved rapidly and quite suc-cessfully since 2001, making China an increasingly relevant regional player in the dispute for spaces traditionally filled by Europe and the US.