Latin America doesn't trust China

New cables revealed in El Pais, a Madrid daily, show how Latin American countries are increasingly wary of China's growing presence in the region.

According to diplomats from Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, Latin America is wary of Chinese expansion in the region. The cables relate to a 15-day visit in 2009 by China's Vice President Xi Jinping and Deputy Prime Minister Hui Liangyu. Brazilian diplomat Daniella Menezes claimed China was trying to fill the void created by the neglect of Latin America by the US under George W. Bush. Mexican business chief Neil Dávila is reported as saying to US Deputy Chief of Mission (Mexico City Embassy) Leslie Basset that Mexico 'didn't want to become China's next Africa'. Colombian Commercial Attaché in Beijing Alejandro Ossa said to his American counterpart that Colombia would not 'be trampled on by China like Africa and Venezuela'. The Colombian also expressed his country's concern over China's questionable environmental and labour standards.

Much of the worry over rising Chinese influence comes as China has increasingly taken a bigger chunk of Latin American exports. It is already the largest trade partner for exports from Chile, Peru and Argentina, while it claims a third of those from Brazil. China now represents 10% of Latin American exports, up from 0.8% in 1990. Marcos Caramuru de Paiva, from the Brazilian Consul in Shanghai warned his American counterpart Beatrice Camp that for China, 'Africa and Latin America are the same'.

(Published by Latin America Bureau - January 4, 2011)