China in Latin America: Law, Economics, and Sustainable Development

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 scouring the globe for natural resources, exploiting less powerful nations, and rejecting international environmental agreements that would curb its profligate consumption of the world’s natural resources. Others applaud China’s unorthodox development strategies and portray China as a successful model for developing countries and as a welcome counterweight to U.S. economic and political hegemony. 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.