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Travel to any country in Latin America and you will see the visible hand of China at work: a computer manufacturing plant in Mexico, a copper mine in Peru, a football stadium in Costa Rica. In the year 2007, the thought of China in Latin America would have appeared, at best, improbable. But in a three-year stretch, China signed free trade agreements with Chile, Peru and Costa Rica, inked billions of dollars worth of deals in oil and mining projects throughout the region, and supplanted the US as Brazil’s biggest trading partner. Once almost unseen in Latin America, China’s bilateral trade has risen from $12bn in 2000 to well over $150bn today.

Given the importance of its new Asian friend, Latin Americans are rolling out the red carpets to Chinese business delegations and jumping on planes not only to Beijing but also to Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Tianjin.

Rationale Behind Chinese Investments in Latin America [...]

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Read more over at Andina

The celebration was held at Brasa Chicken, notorious in Shanghai for preparing the best rotisserie chicken the city has to offer, and which is owned by Peruvian Chef and long time Shanghai resident, Eduardo Vargas.

The mood was upbeat as friends and family enjoyed a taste of Peru over good conversation on one of the first sunny days with blue skies Shanghai has experienced in weeks. A perfect way to bid farewell to Shanghai’s rainy season, which officially ended only one day prior on July 17th.

The country of Peru has just designated the 3rd Sunday of the month of July as “National Pollo a la Brasa Day!”

Come join us in celebration at Brasa Chicken’s flagship restaurant. Enjoy a feast of the finest chicken in all of Shanghai.

SPECIAL OFFER: 1/4 chicken with french fries, salad, free flow soft drinks and one Pisco Sour for ONLY 25 RMB per person!

When: Sunday, July 18th, 2010 from 13:00 – 15:00

Where: Brasa Chicken — 1/F, Unit 103 Life Hub Jinqiao, 3611 Zhangyang Lu, near Jinqiao Lu / 张杨路3611号， 近金桥路

Tel: 2023 3353

Fax: 2023 3352

Visit the official website of the Peruvian Pavilion of the Shanghai World Expo 2010 to learn more about Peru’s efforts to build a cultural and economic bridge with China.

Following the coming into force of the FTA between China and Peru this past March, Peruvians are being encouraged to invest roughly $5,000 usd on trips to China.

This was the announcement made by Jorge Chiang the Peruvian Economic and Commercial Counselor in Beijing today.

“It’s necessary to have more Peruvian business people in that country, who know their partners and participate in trade shows and missions,” said Chiang.

Click here to read more about this from Peruvian News Agency, Andina

“The project will materialize soon but first we must develop the banking supervision procedures between the two countries,” said Jiang Jianqing.

ICBC’s first activities in Peru will focus on trade between China and Peru, as well as services to help Chinese businesses operating in the country.

Click here to read more about this development from the Peruvian News Agency, Andina.

In line with China’s outbound investment strategies in Africa and Asia, China is now planning to create a $5 billion usd investment fund for Latin American investments.

The funds target investments will include, infrastructure (probably to help the Chinese get commodities out), agriculture, mining and energy.

Read more in Spanish from Argentinean DERF Agencia de Noticias.

Peru partners with other countries to seduce China at Expo Shanghai 2010

Peru organizes joint activities with Colombia, Brazil and United States at Shanghai World Exposition, in order to promote themselves better and attract capital and tourists.

Peru to be promoted as luxury tourist destination in Expo Shanghai

Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Board (Promperu) will participate in Asia Luxury Travel Market (ALTM), a Reed Travel Exhibitions show to be held in Shanghai, China, on June 14-18 within the framework of Expo Shanghai 2010 set to kick off on Saturday.

Peruvian pavilion at Shanghai Expo to attract some 40000 visitors on first day

Some 40000 visitors of different nationalities and ages are expected to visit the Peruvian pavilion at Shanghai World Expo, which officially opened today, May 1, Peru’s Foreign Ministry reported.

“Peru has become China’s main investment destination country in Latin America, while China has become the country’s second trade partner”, stated Chinese Trade Minister Jiang Yaoping.

Click here to read the full article from Andina

All in all, the official message expressed by major media is that trade with China = good. I personally this doubt this is the full story. I’m pretty sure a great many Peruvian industries are not so happy they will be competing with “made in China.”

For example, I’m sure the companies which make all the cloths sold at Lima’s Gamarra Market are shaking in their boots right about now.

On the other side, as Michael Reid explains in his book, The Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America’s Soul, the rise of China and other countries which offer Latin America countries alternative markets for their exports has empowered Latin America with far more freedom to develop on their own terms than every before in history.  With new markets, Latin America is no longer as heavily dependent on the United States, and China is at the center of this shift.

There’s always two sides to the story and I’m barley scratching the surface here.  I’m sure readers from Peru to China have many other reasons to argue both sides of the equation.