ONLINE EVENT: Decoding China’s Covid-19 Diplomacy—What Effect on US-China-Latin America Relations?

China’s role in Latin America has in many ways intensified amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Trade continues to underpin the relationship, boosted by East Asia’s relatively rapid economic recovery. Chinese investors have also mostly stayed the course in Latin America, announcing new projects in electricity transmission, renewable energy, mining, and other industries in recent months. And, since the start of the crisis, China’s diplomats have in many cases intensified their efforts to shape regional views of China, whether through equipment donations, vaccine sales, so-called “cloud diplomacy,” or messaging campaigns. At the same time, China’s pandemic-related outreach has prompted comparisons with the US and other partner nations, as well as concern in Washington and elsewhere about growing China-Latin America ties.

To what extent has the pandemic in fact bolstered China-Latin America cooperation? How is messaging from Beijing and Washington being received in the region amid the pandemic? How should Latin American governments navigate the current geopolitical environment, while also looking to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 and boost economic growth? And what can the US and China do to best support the region’s post-pandemic recovery? 

The Inter-American Dialogue is pleased to co-host this event with the Chile Pacific Foundation. 

SPEAKERS:

MICHAEL STOTT

Latin America Editor, Financial Times (@mj_stott)

SERGIO BITAR

Non-Resident Senior Fellow and Project Director, Global Trends & Future Scenarios, Inter-American Dialogue; Vice President, Board of Advisors, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)

MARGARET MYERS

Director, Asia and Latin America Program, Inter-American Dialogue (@MyersMargaret)

MODERATOR:

LORETO LEYTON

Executive Director, Chile Pacific Foundation

EVENT PARTNER:

This event is hosted in partnership with the Chile Pacific Foundation.