New Americas Quarterly to Hit Newsstands

The growing economic and diplomatic ties between China and Latin America have boosted economies and shifted political dynamics in the Americas, changing—perhaps permanently—U.S.–Latin America relations. How do Beijing’s development, trade and geopolitical goals intersect with regional development and politics? Do these goals challenge U.S. economic and geostrategic interests? Pick up the forthcoming issue of Americas Quarterly and find out.

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The Winter 2012 AQ adds new perspective and details to the China–Latin America relationship with a series of articles by both top China specialists and by Latin Americanists looking at China’s global rise. Elizabeth Economy of the Council on Foreign Relations and Zhang Mingde of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies—both China experts—explain China’s world view and foreign policy. Osvaldo Rosales of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean analyzes how Chinese manufactured exports undermine Latin America's exports, and our signature Charticle lays out the facts about Chinese trade and investment and growing trade complaints in the hemisphere against the Asian giant. A photo series on Chinese communities in Mexico highlights the human element of this deepening relationship.

In other articles, journalist Mike McDonald discusses the weak state capacity and pervasive crime that threaten Guatemala and Nicaragua as both inaugurate presidents to new terms. Silvio Waisbord of George Washington University cautions that social media, far from a solution to the problems of censorship and inequality of old media, is also challenged by the risk of state manipulation and lack of professionalism, and Gregory Elacqua of Universidad Diego Portales in Chile argues that the Chilean student protest movement has shaped public opinion but has yet to substantially influence public policy. Stephanie Leutert gives an on-the-ground report of the plight of Colombian refugees in Ecuador.

Release Date: January 26, 2012

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In This Issue:

FEATURES

Time for a Strategic Reset
ELIZABETH ECONOMY
Unless the leadership in Beijing changes course, it faces increasing isolation.

China’s Global Rise
LOWELL DITTMER
In the “new” developing world, China looks for trade partners—not revolutionary allies.

Force Projection
GABRIEL MARCELLA
What is the Chinese military doing in Latin America?

CHARTICLE: The Fast Ramp-Up
RYAN BERGER
The economics of the China–Latin America relationship.

Much in Common
ZHANG MINGDE
A senior Shanghai scholar says China poses no threat to the region.

Memo to Washington
ERIC FARNSWORTH
U.S. complacency toward China’s economic activities in the hemisphere is shortsighted.

PHOTO ESSAY: East Meets South
KEITH DANNEMILLER
Mexicans and Chinese learn, play and work together.

Competitor or Partner?
OSVALDO ROSALES
The impact of Chinese exports on four countries in the region.

Exporting Corruption
ARIEL ARMONY
China’s informal business culture finds a too-familiar environment in Latin America.

Chinese (Un)official Development Aid
MARTIN VIEIRO
Is China’s assistance to developing countries undermining development?

ASK THE EXPERTS
Does China represent an economic and political threat to the U.S. in the hemisphere? Connie Mack, Don Hanna, Luis Fleischman, and Minxin Pei respond.

AQ UPFRONT

Back to the Future
MIKE MCDONALD
The newly elected leaders of Guatemala and Nicaragua are familiar. So are the problems they face.

Going Places?
BARBARA KOTSCHWAR
Asia leads Latin America in infrastructure.

Media 1.5
SILVIO WAISBORD
New technology has expanded the media choices available to Latin Americans. But don’t expect it to usher in a new era of citizen engagement.

DEPARTMENTS

Panorama: Agri-tourism in Central America, Guadalajara’s book fair, South American Alpine Skiing Cup, good governance in Colombia, Ten Things To Do in Salvador, Brazil, and more.

Hard Talk: Will the U.S.–Colombia FTA benefit Colombia? Kevin Gallagher and Gabriel Duque debate.

Innovators/Innovations: Colombian harpist Edmar Castañeda challenges musical conventions. Buscalibros transforms Latin America’s online book market. Pivot Legal campaigns for Vancouver’s marginalized. Sebastián Acha makes voting count in Paraguay.

Dispatches from the Field: Quito: The tragedy of Colombian refugees in Ecuador. Stephanie Leutert reports.

Policy Update: Luis Oganes on the importance of foreign exchange reserves. Gregory Elacqua on the impact of Chilean student protests. Ricardo Camargo Mendes on Brazil’s revived protectionist agenda.

Fresh Look Reviews: Robert Funk on former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos’ new memoir. Paulo Vieira da Cunha on Albert Fishlow’s view of Brazil’s economic transformation. Eric L. Olson reviews Denise Dresser’s lament on Mexico’s failings.