China in Latin America: Law, Economics, and Sustainable Development (China en América Latina: Derecho, Economía y Desarrollo Sostenible)

Abstract:     
The growing economic and political ties between China and Latin America have sparked controversy among scholars, pundits, and policy-makers. Some scholars contend that China is a rising imperial power engaged in a scramble for the resources of the developing world and a competitive threat to Latin America. Others applaud China’s unorthodox development strategies and portray China as a successful model for developing countries. This paper interrogates the competing narratives about China’s growing influence in Latin America and examines the implications of China’s rise for the future of international economic law and international environmental law.

Los crecientes vínculos económicos y políticos entre China y América Latina han desatado controversias entre académicos, eruditos en la materia, y personas encargadas de elaborar políticas. Algunos académicos afirman que China es una potencia imperial emergente, comprometida en la lucha por obtener los recursos del mundo en desarrollo, y una amenaza competitiva para América Latina. Otros aplauden las estrategias de desarrollo chinas, pragmáticas y poco ortodoxas, y las describen como un modelo exitoso para los países en desarrollo. El presente artículo pone en duda las narratives predominantes sobre la cresciente influencia de China en América Latina, e interroga las implicaciones del surgimiento de China para el futuro del derecho económico internacional y del derecho ambiental internacional.

Note: Downloadable document is in Spanish.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 42

Keywords: Environment, Sustainable Development, Natural Resources, Natural Resource Curse, Law And Development, WTO, International Trade Law, Climate Change, Washington Consensus, Beijing Consensus, International Environmental Law, Imperialism, Colonialism, Post-Colonialism

JEL Classification: , F13, F18, F54, K32, K33, K42, N46, N56, Q27, Q33, Q34, Q56, Y30

Accepted Paper Series