Economy, Trade and Investment II

The sixth panel of the International Forum China – Latin America: Perspectives and Debates brought together researchers from Argentina and Ecuador to examine the economic, commercial, and territorial dynamics arising from China’s presence in the region. Through case studies on lithium investments and bilateral relations in strategic sectors, the presentations addressed the opportunities and challenges Latin American countries face in the context of global competition.

Juliana González Jáuregui (FLACSO Argentina / CONICET) presented the paper “Chinese investments in the lithium sector in Argentina: implications for economic development in a context of global competition.” Her observational analysis of Chinese investments in Latin America’s lithium sector identified patterns, motivations, and structural differences in comparison to Western companies. Focusing on Argentina, González Jáuregui examined why the country has struggled to integrate into global lithium value chains despite its geological potential. She proposed a regional perspective to understand both domestic and international factors limiting this integration, and discussed the tools Latin American states might adopt to strengthen ties with China and other international actors in strategic sectors.

Antonio Trujillo (FLACSO Ecuador / PUCE) delivered the presentation “Strategic cooperation with China in the Andean countries: ethical challenges and governance issues.” Based on his research on the Chinese migrant community in Quevedo (Ecuador), he proposed incorporating a territorial and social perspective into cooperation with China—one that considers the family and economic networks built by this diaspora. Trujillo highlighted the potential of the Free Trade Agreement signed between Ecuador and China (in force since 2024) and the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance sectors such as Ecuador’s banana agroindustry. His analysis emphasized the need to consider ethical and governance-related challenges in order to foster sustainable strategic cooperation between China and the Andean region.

Together, the presentations encouraged a critical reflection on the role of Latin American states in governing their economic relations with China, the value of territorial approaches, and the tensions between development, sovereignty, and dependence in the current geopolitical landscape.