PRC Engagement with Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe: Comparisons and Insights
R. Evan Ellis
Over the past twenty years, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has expanded its political, institutional, economic, and other forms of engagement with all regions of the world. Not surprisingly, because engagement in Latin America and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is formulated by the same Chinese Communist Party and PRC-based state-owned enterprises (SOE), it is broadly comparable across regions. 1 Differences in PRC engagements between regions generally reflect differences between government types, particular business opportunities, strategic geography, historical relationships, and Chinese familiarity with the target country, among others. A comparative examination of PRC engagement across regions offers insights by helping to identify common patterns and differences, focusing on the reasons why each occurs. 2
There is a limited but growing volume of work in English on PRC engagement with Central and Eastern Europe. Important works include the Carnegie Foundation report “China’s Influence in Southeastern, Central and Eastern Europe.” 3 Other works include works by think tanks such as China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe 4 and the Washington, DC based Center for European Policy Analysis. 5