Skirting or Courting Controversy? Chinese FDI in Latin American Extractive Industries

China has become a key player in the development sector in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), not only due to trade but also because of the growing scope and visibility of its foreign direct investments (FDI). However, Chinese investments in the region are far from homogeneous, not only oscillat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Adriana Erthal Abdenur
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement 2017-10-01
Series:Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/2365
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850125823878627328
author Adriana Erthal Abdenur
author_facet Adriana Erthal Abdenur
author_sort Adriana Erthal Abdenur
collection DOAJ
description China has become a key player in the development sector in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), not only due to trade but also because of the growing scope and visibility of its foreign direct investments (FDI). However, Chinese investments in the region are far from homogeneous, not only oscillating over time and space, but also varying across modes of incorporation into LAC economies. In the extractive industries, Chinese actors rely on a wide gamut of strategies to open up markets and to help ensure access to oil and minerals. This chapter breaks down the concept of FDI into three umbrella categories—greenfield projects, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures—to analyse how Chinese capital enters LAC extractive sectors. The chapter argues that, faced with a relatively unfamiliar landscape and new sources of uncertainty, Chinese companies tend to ‘test the water’ through mergers and acquisitions, as well as joint ventures, before delving into greenfield activities like direct mining or drilling. This cautious approach signals a degree of institutional learning on the part of Chinese stakeholders, as well as the desire to avoid charges of neo-colonialism, imposed dependency, and lax adherence to formal regulations.
format Article
id doaj-art-25cb46fa38e3473aa78c41e1eca8860d
institution OA Journals
issn 1663-9375
1663-9391
language English
publishDate 2017-10-01
publisher Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement
record_format Article
series Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
spelling doaj-art-25cb46fa38e3473aa78c41e1eca8860d2025-08-20T02:34:03ZengInstitut de Hautes Études Internationales et du DéveloppementRevue Internationale de Politique de Développement1663-93751663-93912017-10-01917419810.4000/poldev.2365Skirting or Courting Controversy? Chinese FDI in Latin American Extractive IndustriesAdriana Erthal AbdenurChina has become a key player in the development sector in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), not only due to trade but also because of the growing scope and visibility of its foreign direct investments (FDI). However, Chinese investments in the region are far from homogeneous, not only oscillating over time and space, but also varying across modes of incorporation into LAC economies. In the extractive industries, Chinese actors rely on a wide gamut of strategies to open up markets and to help ensure access to oil and minerals. This chapter breaks down the concept of FDI into three umbrella categories—greenfield projects, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures—to analyse how Chinese capital enters LAC extractive sectors. The chapter argues that, faced with a relatively unfamiliar landscape and new sources of uncertainty, Chinese companies tend to ‘test the water’ through mergers and acquisitions, as well as joint ventures, before delving into greenfield activities like direct mining or drilling. This cautious approach signals a degree of institutional learning on the part of Chinese stakeholders, as well as the desire to avoid charges of neo-colonialism, imposed dependency, and lax adherence to formal regulations.https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/2365
spellingShingle Adriana Erthal Abdenur
Skirting or Courting Controversy? Chinese FDI in Latin American Extractive Industries
Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
title Skirting or Courting Controversy? Chinese FDI in Latin American Extractive Industries
title_full Skirting or Courting Controversy? Chinese FDI in Latin American Extractive Industries
title_fullStr Skirting or Courting Controversy? Chinese FDI in Latin American Extractive Industries
title_full_unstemmed Skirting or Courting Controversy? Chinese FDI in Latin American Extractive Industries
title_short Skirting or Courting Controversy? Chinese FDI in Latin American Extractive Industries
title_sort skirting or courting controversy chinese fdi in latin american extractive industries
url https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/2365
work_keys_str_mv AT adrianaerthalabdenur skirtingorcourtingcontroversychinesefdiinlatinamericanextractiveindustries