ABSTRACT
Chinese commercial entities, in particular, have learned a considerable amount from their years now of experience in the region’s hydrocarbons, agriculture, mining and other sectors. Recent Chinese-language literature on operational lessons learned in the region suggests that the Chinese government and China’s many overseas entities are developing a more nuanced view of the Latin American and Caribbean political and economic dynamics. Caribbean are seen as lagging in terms of industrial upgrading, China is increasingly exporting higher-tech goods to the region and is marketing a wider variety of Chinese brands. China’s national oil companies (NOCs) also make deals in an effort to acquire high-tech capabilities. A final element of China’s engagement in the region is continued focus on South-South cooperation in various fields and promotion of China as a strategic partner for developing nations. China also maintains a comprehensive strategic partnership with Venezuela.
