Not Enough Space for Everyone: China and the Competition for the Global South (Sin espacio para todos: China y lacompetencia por el Sur en el siglo XXI)

Abstract

Spanish Abstract: Transcurrida más de una década y media del “siglo asiático”, el epicentro de la economía mundial se ha trasladado del Atlántico Norte hacia el sudeste a un ritmo sin precedentes. Como correlato, la creciente expansión china a nivel global ha ido minando paulatinamente la posición de líderes regionales en sus respectivas áreas de influencia. Debido al desplazamiento de sus inversiones, la consiguiente pérdida de mercados regionales, así como el crecimiento de otras potencias medias gracias al fortalecimiento de sus vínculos con Beijing, argumentamos que Brasil y Sudáfrica han perdido relevancia regional a merced de China, ofreciendo, así, una visión alternativa (pero complementaria) a la abundante literatura que ve a China como la gran oportunidad para ambos países.

English Abstract: A little more than a decade and a half into the “Asian century,” the epicentre of the global economy has moved from the North Atlantic towards East Asia at an unprecedented pace. As a correlate, China’s growing expansion at global level has been gradually undermining the position of leading regional powers such as Brazil and South Africa. The displacement of their investments and the consequent loss of their regional markets, added to the growth of other medium-sized regional powers through stronger links with Beijing, have damaged both countries prospects of regional leadership. From this perspective, in contrast to the abundant literature depicting China as a great opportunity for Brazil and South Africa, this paper warns that both countries’ regional importance has been diminished in favour of China, which calls the usefulness of the BRICS concept into question.

Note: Downloadable document is in Spanish.