LASA/EANLAS: Rethinking Trans-Pacific Ties: Asia and Latin America

China’s Agricultural Cooperation with LAC in the Era of BRI: Forms and Norms

• In Event: New trend in China-Latin America cooperation

Abstract

International cooperation on food and agriculture matters China’s national interests and is is an important part of its relation with other countries. The Agriculture “going out” Strategy and the “two markets and two resources” approach encourage Chinese enterprises to go abroad for agribusiness. Recently, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), raised by China in 2013, may strengthen China’s foreign activities of agriculture and may reshape the global food regime.
International Agricultural cooperation is an key part of China’s relation with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and the implementation of its BRI in this region. Historically, China has agricultural cooperation and aid with this region. Currently, nearly 30% of imported agricultural products of China come from LAC Faced with the trend of anti-globalization the trade war with the USA and the pandemic of Covid-19 in recent years, the agricultural trade with LAC is important to feed the growing domestic food market demand and guarantee China's national food security. Hence, It is very interesting to understand how China’s BRI would shape its current international agricultural cooperation with countries in LAC, considering China’s agricultural demand, investment, aid and cooperation, diplomatic strategy, and infrastructure in this region. And it is also interesting to compare China’s agricultural cooperation with LAC in the era of BRI with international norms and to understand how it could affect global food regime and global governance in food and agriculture.

Author

• Benito Li, Beijing University of Agriculture