The Relations between Latin America and the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific Region

Political and trade relations between Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and the Indo-Pacific region are often limited to studies of their relationships with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). However, LAC countries interact more broadly with the Indo-Pacific region, both bilaterally and multilaterally. Trade relations have increased primarily with South Korea, India, and Japan. At the multilateral level, LAC countries participate in the APEC Forum, for example.

Since 2017, however, Taiwan has lost a significant number of diplomatic relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries that have favored relations with China. Thus, although LAC countries’ relations with the Indo-Pacific region are more complex, they continue to be dominated by their relationship with the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, the presentation will address the following questions: What effect does the strong relationship between certain LAC countries and the People’s Republic of China have on the Indo-Pacific region? Do LAC countries have any strategic importance for the Indo-Pacific region? What opportunities and challenges do LAC countries face in the Indo-Pacific region?

The presentation will include case studies of the main bilateral relations between Latin American and Caribbean countries and the People’s Republic of China, India, and Taiwan in commercial and political-strategic terms.

The guest speaker is Ana Soliz de Stange, a researcher and lecturer at the Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Armed Forces in Hamburg, Germany.

More information here: https://blogs.helsinki.fi/chinastudies/the-relations-between-latin-america-and-the-caribbean-and-the-indo-pacific-region/