China forging closer links with Latin America
Posted : 2015-03-13 15:54
Updated : 2015-03-13 17:02
China forging closer links with Latin America
By John J. Metzler
UNITED NATIONS ― Amid a near unquenchable thirst for natural resources, a desire to develop new trading partners and an opportunity to press for political influence in a vast region increasingly ignored by the United States, the People's Republic of China is forging ahead to develop closer ties with Latin America.
The links goes well beyond Beijing's traditional comradely relations with communist Cuba and extend to strong commercial ties to powerful resource-rich countries such as Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela.
Contemporary China is not exporting Marxism, but promoting markets in a region which retains vast raw materials as well as potential customers. Agricultural products, mining and petroleum are among the abundant resources Latin American producers have for a still strong Chinese market.
In January, Beijing hosted a high level forum between China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean states (CELAC) where the Chinese government pledged to boost Latin American trade to $500 billion in the next decade.
More:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2015/03/197_175168.html
