Report: Chinese Investment Trends in Latin America Reveal Priorities of the New, More Strategic BRI

Chinese FDI in "new infrastriucture" industries across Latin America and the Caribbean between 2003 and 2022. Source: Author calculations using Dealogic and FdiMarkets; includes both M&A and greenfield FDI data.

China’s investments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are undergoing a dramatic shift away from large-scale infrastructure projects towards more strategic sectors like critical minerals, telecommunications and renewable energy, according to the findings of a new report by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Inter-American Dialogue.

This focus on so-called “new infrastructure” is the embodiment of the much-talked about “Small and Beautiful” mantra that now defines a more slimmed down Belt and Road Initiative.

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by Eric Olander

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