Can Latin America Resist U.S. Pressure to Distance Itself From China?

Latin America is facing intensifying pressure from Washington to distance itself from China even as Beijing remains the region's leading trading partner. Governments are increasingly caught between U.S. strategic demands and the economic opportunities offered by China, making geopolitical balancing more difficult.

The shift from a rules-based order toward one defined by power is reinforcing the case for "active non-alignment," allowing countries to work with both powers according to their interests. At the same time, Latin America faces a deeper economic challenge: moving beyond exports of raw materials such as copper and lithium toward greater value addition and industrial development.

Ambassador Jorge Heine, honorary professor at the University of Chile's Institute of International Studies and non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute, joins Eric to examine Latin America's balancing act, including U.S. pressure on China ties, active non-alignment, and opportunities for deeper China-Latin America economic integration.

Show Notes

• ECLAC - Ruptures and opportunities: proposals for Latin America and the Caribbean to thrive in the new geopolitical era

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode

• How U.S. pressure is reshaping China-Latin America relations
• The rise of active non-alignment as a strategy between Washington and Beijing
• Why China's role as Latin America's leading trading partner limits U.S. influence
• The challenge of moving beyond raw-material exports toward greater value-added production
• How China and Latin America could cooperate on copper, lithium, EVs, and green technology
• Why stronger China literacy is becoming essential for Latin American policymakers

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