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On July 8, 2021, the Inter-American Dialogue hosted a congressional staff briefing on China’s Covid-19 engagement with Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC). Panelists discussed developments in Chinese diplomacy in the Latin American region, both before and amid the pandemic. Speakers provided observations of the ways in which the pandemic has shaped China’s outreach across the hemisphere, whether through medical donations, a shifting investment portfolio, or new communications strategies.
Although the region is expected to face many challenges and uncertainties in the coming years, China will continue to play an important role in LAC, especially as a top trade partner for many countries. Participants additionally addressed sustained competition between China and the United States, as well as concerns about opacity in China’s political and economic outreach.
This briefing was private and off-the-record.
