ABSTRACT
The People’s Republic of China and other Asian countries, that historically had little interest in or connection with Latin America, have emerged as significant international partners for the region. The presence and influence of external powers in Latin America have been constant features in the history of the continent. The meaning of Latin America is more ideational and conventional than objective and substantial. To study Latin America and its interactions with the rest of the world makes as much sense as to study the relations of Europe, Asia or Africa with their respective external partners. The surge of external powers in Latin America can also be read through the lens of South-South cooperation, a growing area of academic and policy debate that claims ‘new’ forms of solidarity and emancipatory relations at the international level. A number of International Relations and International Political Economy theories may serve to interpret and explain the surge of external powers in Latin America.
