Conflict, Competition, or Collaboration? China and the United States in Latin America the Caribbean

This chapter argues that China and the United States have important opportunities to collaborate in Latin America to advance the fortunes of countries in the region and to find shared outcomes on issues such as climate, peace, and development. To achieve these outcomes, China, the US, and Latin American and Caribbean countries will have to adapt—the great powers currently compete in the region and Latin American and Caribbean countries remain fragmented and uncoordinated. More significant advances can come if Latin American nations operate collectively, gaining greater leverage, presenting more attractive partners to great powers, and undertake a logistical role to guide external partnerships into developmental upgrading. Engaging Latin America can move China forward in terms of its medium-term development goals and especially in terms of contributing to a multipolar and balanced world order, but only if it scales up Latin American and Caribbean integration and contributes to upgrades in productivity and living standards. For the US, a more peaceful and developed neighborhood can be possible, but only if it avoids zero-sum conflict with China.