China

The expansion of China’s economic and political presence in Latin America has in recent years been accompanied by growing concerns about surveillance and intelligence activity, particularly in cyberspace. According to CrowdStricke’s 2025 Threat Landscape Report for Latin America, China-linked cyber actors were among the most active nation-state groups targeting the [ … ]

China’s expanding presence in Mexico is altering the country’s economic, technological, and security landscape. This presents a complex mix of legitimate investment and illicit networks, raising urgent questions about Mexico’s sovereignty and vulnerability. The deepening relationship between China and Mexico is a study in contrasts: a boom in economic cooperation [ … ]

China is relentlessly flooding Latin America with its commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — commonly known as drones. In Brazil, the region’s largest market, the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) has registered more than 133,000 such aircraft as of late November 2025. Of this total, the vast majority, over 113,000, [ … ]

As part of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) — the plan launched by Xi Jinping in 2022 that uses security as a lever for geopolitical influence — state-owned defense corporation China North Industries Group (Norinco) is rapidly expanding its presence in Latin America. The company is not limiting itself to [ … ]

After years of providing loans to Latin American nations, China’s current strategy is to penetrate the region’s banking system to expand its influence and reduce the use of the U.S. dollar. Through financial diplomacy, the expansion of the China International Payment System (CIPS), and the spread of its own credit [ … ]

From the heart of Beijing to Latin American digital forums, China is coordinating sophisticated operations that combine advanced digital technology with strategic alliances among local elites. The objective is to shape public perceptions and political decisions across the region. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), through its information warfare structures, has [ … ]

In the South China Sea, Beijing perfected a method of expansion based on a combination of diplomacy, economic pressure, and dual-use infrastructure. Without resorting to military conflict, it has consolidated its influence in one of the most disputed regions in the world. Now, a series of similar dynamics is emerging [ … ]

A recent arbitration ruling in Ecuador has spotlighted the mounting contractual risks for Latin American nations partnering with Chinese state-owned companies on mega-infrastructure projects. The decision, which dismissed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit filed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) against the municipality of Quito, has intensified the debate over transparency [ … ]

Brazil now occupies an increasingly central place in China’s food supply strategy, supplying about one-third of the Latin American country’s agricultural exports, particularly soybeans, corn, and sugar. To ensure its long-term food security, Beijing is systematically expanding its control across the entire Brazilian agricultural supply chain, from genetic seed production [ … ]

Ocean governance is entering a new era, defined by unprecedented global cooperation. In September 2025, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, known as Fish-1, came into force, and in January 2026, the Treaty on Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) will be implemented. Both instruments, according to [ … ]

Two Chinese-owned companies, Globe Seaweed International S.A.C. and Algas Sudamérica S.A.C., have transformed the Peruvian coast into the epicenter of a multimillion-dollar macroalgae trade to Asia, operating outside the bounds of national law. According to a September 2025 investigation by Mongabay Latam, both companies extract and export thousands of tons [ … ]