China-Latin America: Win-Win Relationship? Case Studies in Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, and Ecuador

Abstract

In an increasingly interconnected world, China’s rise has significant implications for the global economy. China, therefore, rejects the idea of a zero-sum game and embraces a new system of international relations that promotes “win-win” bilateral exchanges. This thesis focuses specifically on identifying whether or not China’s strategic partnerships in the energy sector through trade and investment with the following Latin American countries: Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, and Ecuador are actually “win-win” relationships. This thesis will be able to determine whether or not these economic relations between both parties create an equitable or “win-win” dynamic in the international political economy by assessing voting patterns in organizations such as the United Nations. UN voting patterns will be plotted alongside the quantity of Latin American trade exports to China as well as Chinese investment in the Latin American states of interest in order to see if a pattern emerges, which suggests economic relations influences political or policy outcomes. Regardless of whether or not there is an observable pattern, two factors or hypothesis that can be used to determine the degree to which the voting trends of Latin American countries are susceptible to Chinese influence: the Latin American state’s dependency on one specific sector for revenues and the mutual economic interdependence, both of which are contingent on the presence of or lack thereof a diverse economic profile. The more susceptible to Chinese influence, the less equitable the relationship and vice-versa. If allotted one-vote, as done by the United Nations, the Latin America country should be able decide on its own without feeling the Chinese pressure to vote a certain way simply because of its growing economic ties. Are Sino-Latin American relations, therefore, actually “win-win” relationships on the international level, if your vote is compelled in a particular direction?