Lead and soybeans poised to rise as most commodities fall and global equities tumble

Diversification is key to allocating your risk when investing.  If you’re in equities and commodities (precious and non-precious metals, energy or agriculture) you have probably seen your portfolio take a serious in the past few weeks.

Two commodities however, seem poised to buck this trend, as Bloomberg reports in these two separate pieces on lead and soybeans.

You can click the article titles or the links below the excerpts posted here to read each respective report in its entirety.

Lead Shortage Looms in ’13 on Record Demand for Batteries - Bloomberg

Lead is poised to rally after erasing this year’s gains with the market returning to shortages following a five-year glut as miners fail to keep pace with record demand for batteries.

Stockpiles monitored by the London Metal Exchange dropped 7.6 percent from the all-time high reached in October. Demand will exceed supply by 150,000 metric tons next year, equal to about six months of U.S. mine production, Macquarie Group Ltd. estimates. Prices will average $2,273 a ton in the fourth quarter, 13 percent more than now, according to the median of 18 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Click here to access the full article direct from Bloomberg

Soybeans Rise From Six-Week Low as Biggest Growers’ Exports Gain - Bloomberg

Soybeans rebounded from a six-week low as export sales from the U.S. and Brazil climbed, draining supply in the world’s two largest growers.

The amount of soybeans inspected for U.S. export almost doubled in the week to May 10 to 20.3 million bushels from the prior seven days, the Department of Agriculture said yesterday. In Brazil, growers had sold 83 percent of the harvest as of May 11, up from 63 percent a year ago, according to researcher Celeres.

Click here to access the full article direct from Bloomberg

Peru and NE Asia related headlines from the past 2 days

Humala finaliza gira en Asia y viene de vuelta a Perú de La Republica

Viaje lo llevó a Japón y Corea del Sur.

El presidente de la República, Ollanta Humala, concluyó hoy su gira oficial por el continente asiático y se encuentra viajando de retorno a Perú.

El jefe de Estado y su comitiva despegaron en el avión presidencial peruano hoy desde Yeosu (Corea del Sur), confirmó a la agencia, la delegación de Perú en la Expo 2012.

Allí, el mandatario inauguró a primera hora el pabellón peruano, que definió como “un espacio de reflexión y de respeto al mar y al agua en general” en sintonía con el tema central de la Expo, que es la conservación global de los océanos y los recursos marinos.

Durante los cinco días de su gira, la primera que realiza por Asia desde su nombramiento, Humala ha mantenido reuniones con el presidente surcoreano, Lee Myung-bak, y con el primer ministro nipón Yoshihiko Noda, en los que se ha reforzado la cooperación mutua en varias materias.

García Belaunde: “El futuro del Perú pasa por el Asia Pacífico” de El Comercio

El ex canciller sostuvo que apostar por mercados como Japón y Corea del Sur es clave ante la crisis económica europea

El futuro del Perú y del mundo pasa hoy por la zona Asia Pacífico, y el Gobierno hace bien en profundizar su presencia en esa importante área económica para buscar nuevos mercados y mayores inversiones, opinó hoy el excanciller José Antonio García Belaunde.

En un contexto de crisis internacional que afecta a la zona europea, sostuvo apostar por importantes mercados asiáticos como Japón y Corea del Sur es clave para asegurar la continuidad del crecimiento económico del país.

Perú y Corea pueden ser el puente que una Latinoamérica y Asia de Andina.com

Seúl, may. 11 (ANDINA). Perú y Corea del Sur pueden convertirse en el puente que una a Latinoamérica y Asia, mediante el establecimiento de rutas aerocomerciales de carga y de pasajeros entre Lima y Seúl, estimó hoy el presidente Ollanta Humala.

Señaló que promover esa ruta ha sido uno de los objetivos de su visita de Estado a Seúl.

“Dentro de mi preocupación, como gobierno, está promover, invitar y conversar con empresas coreanas para cubrir una línea comercial de transporte de pasajeros y de carga, que permita crear ese puente que debe haber entre Asia y Latinoamérica, a través de Perú y de Corea”, declaró a periodistas.

Ese sería un negocio rentable, añadió durante su exposición ante empresarios coreanos sobre el potencial de inversiones que existe en Perú.

Está previsto actualmente el ingreso de la aerolínea Korean Air a Perú, inicialmente por carga, y su eventual ampliación al transporte de pasajeros incrementará el flujo turístico al país andino, según la Cámara Nacional de Turismo (Canatur).

Reporting from Lima, Peru — Latam-China News Summary

Happy International Women’s Day to readers around the globe.

There’s been a spike in the past week or so of news articles pertaining to China – Latin America.  Beyond the ever changing dynamics of Sino-Latin American relations financial news media is increasingly questioning the sustainability of growth in Latin America.  Specifically in countries that are heavily dependent on commodity exports to China. Here’s a few of the major stories which caught my attention:

Latin America warned over China slowdown – Financial Times

Latin America’s economies have become increasingly resilient to global shocks but they have not prepared for a possible slowdown in China, according to the Institute of International Finance, which represents the global banking industry.

Most of the countries in the region, whose economic growth was expected to slow to 3.7 per cent this year from 4 per cent last year due to weakness in the eurozone, should use the present commodity super-cycle to undertake more serious reforms to improve productivity, said Ramón Aracena, IIF deputy director of Latin America.

Click here to read the complete article from the Financial Times

China’s Rise and Latin America: A Global, Long-Term Perspective – Carnegieendowment

Over the past decade, China has become an increasingly important economic partner for Latin America. But this trend must be placed in proper perspective. Even as trade and investment links between China and Latin America have grown, the United States and Europe are—and will continue to be—vital trading partners for the region. Moreover, China’s rise is only one part of a broader shift towards a world in which emerging markets have greater economic weight. Policymakers in Latin America need to view China’s growing influence within the context of both current economic patterns and long-term global trends.

Click here to read the complete article from the Carnegieendowment

Citi launches Latin America Trade Desk in China – BBR

Citi’s Global Transaction Services has launched its new Latin America Trade Desk in Shanghai, China, to serve as a link for Latin American clients to Asia.

The new trade desk will cater specific needs of importers and exporters, as well as market practices for trading between these two regions.

It will offer tailored suite of trade services and finance solutions, including access to Citi’s global trade network and local expertise through its branch network in over 40 countries in Asia and Latin America.

Click here to read the complete article from the BBR (Banking Services Review)

Commentary: China’s rising wages may benefit Latin America – Miami Herald via Kansas City Star

Good news for Latin America: wages in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries are rising faster than expected, leading growing numbers of multinational firms to move their manufacturing plants to Mexico and other countries closer to the U.S. market.

The Feb. 19 announcement by Foxconn Technology Group, which assembles iPads and other products for Apple, Dell, Nokia, Motorola and other firms in China, that it has raised pay for its workers by 16 to 25 percent was just the latest example of how fast Chinese salaries are rising. It was Foxconn’s third wage hike since 2010.

“More and more companies are telling us that wages are rising faster than they expected,” says Harold Sirkin, managing partner of the Boston Consulting Group, which recently published a study on China’s wages.

Click here to read the complete article

Latin America seen very dependent on commodities – Market Watch

SAO PAULO — Latin America must take steps to defend itself from a growing reliance on commodities and China, while currency appreciation is warranted given the economic improvements relative to developed markets, the Institute of International Finance said on Thursday.

“Growing dependency on commodities and China requires improving lines of defense against sharp and sustained terms of trade losses,” the IIF said in its latest regional overview.

The region’s improvements relative to developed economies “suggest that appreciation pressures on local currencies are to some extent warranted,” the IIF said. To cope, countries must improve productivity and reduce government spending deficits “so as to widen the scope for interest-rate cuts,” it said.

Click here to read the complete article from the MarketWatch

Latam growth speeding, reforms needed -IIF Reuters

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 8 (Reuters) – Economic growth in Latin America should speed to 4.5 percent in 2013 thanks to monetary stimulus and steadier global conditions, raising the risk of policy complacency, the Institute of International Finance said on Thursday.

Demand for the region’s raw material exports has also strengthened local currencies, highlighting the need for reforms to boost productivity and reduce government deficits, the IIF said in a report presented by managing director Charles Dallara.

“While stronger macroeconomic positions have bolstered Latin America’s resilience to external shocks, luck has been on the region’s side,” the report said. Higher commodities prices are bolstering the region’s economies, according to the report, but masking bad policy in some countries.

Click here to read the complete article from the MarketWatch

The 21st century’s most important trade network – The Asia-Pacific triangle

Having followed, written about and participated in the growth of China – Latin America’s exchange over the past 10 years, I must say it is refreshing to see the increasing awareness around the globe of the growth of Asia-Pacific cooperation.  Every week news media around the world publish news and analysis pertaining not only to China – Latin America, but increasingly about the geopolitical triangle of the greater Asia-Pacific region.

Aljazeera added to the wealth today by publishing the transcript of a interview they conducted with former Peruvian Ambassador to China, and current Ambassador to the US - Harold Forsyth.  In the interview Aljazeera reporter Eddie Walshe discusses with Ambassador Forsyth his perspective on the growing importance of Asia-Pacific cooperation and more particularly, how Peru fits into the Asia-Pacific triangle of the Greater Asia region (with a special emphasis on China), North America and South America.

As someone who personally believes the growth of trade and exchange between nations of the Asia Pacific and the Americas (North & South) will be the most important network of exchange this century, I highly recommend giving it a read.

Click here to access Peru’s place in the triangle of Asia-Pacific security, published by Aljazeera

What people around the world define as the Asia-Pacific region varies widely, for your author (me) I consider it to include all nations, cultures and territories on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.  This means “Oceania,” despite being a region in itself must naturally be included.  It also tends to include India, because although India is usually not considered a “Pacific” nation, it is a major geopolitical power in this equation.

Within the Asia-Pacific region there is however a level of exchange and interaction which is far more significant when looking at the greater region as a whole — and that, in my opinion is the triangular interaction of North East Asia (China, South Korea, Japan), North America, and South America.  Of course, one could argue discounting Russia, India, Australia and the nations of SE Asia and leaves many players out of the equation. I only do so because their links to the America’s are relatively small when compared with China, South Korea and Japan.

Why is this triangular network so important you ask?  Let’s quickly review some facts which come to mind pertaining to a few specific categories — Economic output & International Trade, Commodity production/ consumption (energy, metals and agriculture), and geopolitical security

• The Asia-Pacific region includes the world’s three largest economies — The United States, China (PRC), and Japan.
• These three economies make up a large portion of global economic output, commodity consumption/production, and trade.
• In terms of commodity consumption & production you find within this triangle (to name a few):
• Top 5 iron ore producers – Brazil, China, Australia, India and Russia
• Top 4 iron ore consumers – China, Russia, Japan and South Korea
• A few of the top energy producers, Russia (#1), the US, China, Venezuela and ever more significant levels of energy production coming from Brazil and Canada
• The top 5 oil consumers – United States, China, Japan, Russia, and India
• The Top 5 copper producers – Chile, Peru, the US, China, Australia
• 3/5 of the top copper consumers – China, India & the US
• Major sources of precious metal production (Gold & Silver) Russia, China, Australia, Peru, Chile & the US
• Major sources of precious metal demand – China, & the US
• Major centers of global food production – Russia, the US and South America as a whole
• Major centers of food consumption – China, India, & the US
• Finally, the Asia-Pacific region includes many of the 21st century’s most potentially volatile geopolitical security issues. To name a few:
• US-China relations
• NE Asia which includes everything from
• The balance of power between China, Japan, and Korea (and Russia) … and ultimately how the US factors into this region
• The Korean Peninsula and all the related issues from re-unification of North & South Korea to proliferation of arms by North Korea
• The South China Seas
• The quagmire of complex inter-country relations in SE Asia
• Taiwan
• ETC

China – Latin America stories bombard the inter-webs

Case Study on Chinese FDI in Peruvian Natural Resources – Americas’ Quarterly

China’s huge appetite for energy and minerals to fuel its expanding economy has strained international markets for oil, natural gas, iron ore, coal, copper, nickel, aluminum, and other resources. To satisfy China’s hunger for raw materials, Chinese companies, backed by the government, have been acquiring

equity stakes in natural resource companies, extending loans to mining and petroleum investors, and writing long-term procurement contracts for oil and minerals in Africa, Latin America, Australia, Canada, and other resource-rich regions.

In fact, more than half of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in natural resources is in Latin America. It is concentrated in 34 major projects that stretch from Venezuela and Ecuador through Brazil, Bolivia and Peru to Argentina and Chile. Since China launched its “going out” strategy, encouraging companies to become more competitive, total Chinese FDI in Latin America has increased nearly sevenfold, from $226 million in 2003 to $1.6 billion in 2009.

Click here for the complete story

For Latin America, China Both Friend And Foe – Forbes

Is China more friend than foe for countries like Brazil and Mexico? A study to be published in Americas Quarterly journal this week shows that the relationship is actually quite well balanced.

By 2004, China’s arrival in Latin America was being felt with the full force of a fire breathing dragon. China imports totaled $17.9 billion to Latin American countries, more than double where they were just four years prior at $7 billion. At the time, I asked Brazil’s Trade Minister at the time, Luis Fernando Furlan, what the country could do to avoid China’s footsteps. His take at the time was basically to design better mousetraps, under the idea that Brazil’s trading partners would buy items like shoes because the design was cool. That might be true to some extent, but the textile and apparel industry in Brazil and throughout Latin America has lost market share abroad and domestically to China competitors. The good news, the ground they are losing is not as bad as some might have thought when China’s presence was just starting to be felt there.

Click here for the complete story

Latam: exporters rue Chinese rivals – FT report on the Quarterly America study

There’s no doubt that China’s growth has created a market ripe for Latin America exports, particularly natural resources. But have Chinese manufacturers – using those same imported raw materials – hurt the sales of their LatAm rivals? The evidence has mostly been anecdotal. Until now.

Click here for the complete article

Christopher Sabatini: China’s Geostrategic Designs on Latin America – Fox News Latino

In the last 5 years China’s military activities in Latin America and the Caribbean have grown at an unprecedented rate. Beijing now regularly hosts officers from Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay in its military academies, has expanded arms sales and technology transfers to countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela, and in October last year even sent a navy ship to the Caribbean.

Is China—now Brazil and Chile’s number-one trade partner—buttressing its economic interests in the Western

Hemisphere with military ties and alliances? Is this the Middle Kingdom’s equivalent of President Barack Obama’s Pacific pivot to balance China’s saber rattling in Asia?

Click here for the complete article

China plants bitter seeds in South American farmland – Washington Times

BUENOS AIRES — Few were surprised when Venezuela announced a deal with China last week to restore 1.4 million acres of unproductive farmland across the oil-rich but impoverished South American nation.

China increasingly is buying farmland and agricultural companies in South America to feed its ever-growing population, currently estimated to be 1.34 billion.

The most important aspect of China’s agricultural investment in Latin America is that “it is a part of the increasing physical footprint of the People’s Republic of China that is just beginning to occur,” said Evan Ellis, an assistant professor at National Defense University in Washington.

Click here for the complete article

China’s export to Latin America: Corruption – CNN

By Ariel C. Armony – Special to CNN

Shoes. Toys. Clothing. China has inundated Latin American markets with cheap goods. This flooding has jolted local producers and generated demands for government measures to protect domestic industries. But there is one Chinese export that has not received enough attention among policymakers, media analysts and public opinion: Corruption.

Though China and Latin America have different values and attitudes, both have traditionally lacked transparency in government. They operate according to informal business dealings which, in turn, undermine or further weaken the rule of law. Corrupt practices exacerbate distortions in public administration, impair sustainable development, erode a nation’s legal culture, and worsen inequality and poverty.

Click here for the complete article

Rare question and answer Xinhua Exclusive on China- Latam relations

Thank you Xinhua News. Please click here to access the article from Xinhua News.

Yang Wanming, director-general of the the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, exchanged views with chinanews.com readers online on Tuesday afternoon.

 

Yang Wanming, director-generalof the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, answers questions from chinanews.com readers online on Jan 17, 2012. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

 

Topic: China-Latin America cooperation in culture

Q: How do China and Latin America cooperate in the field of culture?

A: China has opened 32 Confucius institutes in Latin America, covering almost all Latin American countries. Both sides also send art troupes to visit one another and conduct people-to-people exchanges. Many Chinese people like their football, music and dances and engage in studying Spanish and Portuguese. Many Chinese books have also been translated into Spanish and sold in Latin America.

Topic: Cooperation in energy

Q: What’s the current situation with Sino-Latin American energy cooperation? Some people think China is plundering energy resources there and uses it as a way to curb the US.

A: China is trying to carry out comprehensive cooperation with Latin American countries and its efforts have been well welcomed by them. The cooperation not only benefits the two parties, but also contributes to global peace, stability and prosperity. It started late and is on a relatively small scale, but has been developing fast. China imported 20.73 million tons of crude oil from Latin American countries in 2010, which accounts for 8.7 percent of China’s total import in that year. Venezuela has become China’s 4th largest oil provider. The two parties will explore cooperation on new energy. It’s totally based on equality and mutual benefit and will do no harm to the third party.

Topic: US view on China-Latin America relationship

Q: The relationship between China and Latin American countries has developed so fast. What do you think of the feeling in the US to this?

A: In recent years, the independence of Latin American countries is growing and its economic growth momentum becomes more diverse than before.

The rapid development of China-Latin America relations is on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win for both sides and is within the needs of Latin American countries’ diversified diplomacy and development strategy.

It will not only benefit development of both, but also contribute to the world’s stability and development.

China and the US have already established a consultation mechanism on Latin-America, and through four different consultations, the two parties have enhanced their mutual trust on this issue.

And the US has repeatedly stressed in their consultations that strengthening relations between China and Latin American countries will be good for Latin-America’s stability and development.

Topic: Chinese workers kidnapped in Colombia

Q: It was reported that several Chinese employees were kidnapped in Colombia by unidentified armed militants. How are they now? Could you release some information about the rescue efforts?

A: Four Chinese workers were kidnapped by some unknown armed militants in Caquetá province in Colombia on June 8, 2011. We have urged the Colombia authority to spare no effort to carry on the rescue work under the premise of guaranteeing the safety of hostages. Since then, the Chinese embassy in Colombia has kept in close cooperation and contact with Colombia’s relevant departments. The rescue work has not finished yet, but the safety of the four hostages can be guaranteed. Chinese companies are facing more risks as they go global on a larger scale. We need to increase our political backup and diplomatic guarantee to them, strengthen the consular protection and safeguard their legitimate interests. Meanwhile we advise Chinese people in Latin America to improve their sense of safety and precaution.

Q: How about China-Mexico relations?

A: China and Mexico are both developing countries and are working at enhancing people’s living standards. They hold the same positions on many international issues and regularly cooperate on these..

China and Mexico have some trade friction over trade imbalance problems, but we hope both sides can deal with the problems reasonably and from a development point of view.

We hope both can take active measures to promote the diverse, comprehensive and healthy development of the two countries’ economic and trade relations.

February 14 marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico. We believe the relations can become more comprehensive, steadier and healthier with the two countries’ joint efforts in the future.

Q: Can you talk about the relationship between China and Brazil?

A: Brazil is one of the biggest countries in Latin America and one of the emerging powers in the region. The China-Brazil relationship is one of the most important between China and Latin America.

In recent years, the strategic partnership between China and Brazil has made considerable progress. They maintain a good momentum of high-level exchanges and the political mutual trust is deepened.

Their economical cooperation is also deepening constantly, which has brought tangible benefits to people of both countries. Bilateral trade volume exceeded $80 billion in 2011. Investment cooperation in finance, energy, steel, and machine manufacturing has also made great progress, and is expanding constantly.

China and Brazil have active exchanges in science, technology and culture as well.

The cooperation in the fields of Earth resource satellites, agricultural technology and aviation is progressing continuously. And the cooperation in culture and education is also very close.

China’s Confucius Institute Headquarters opened two Confucius Institutes and a Confucius school in Brazil and Brazil’s important media institutions have sent many journalists to work in China.

China and Brazil are both developing countries and have broad and consistent interests on major international issues. The Chinese government attaches great importance to relations with Brazil and believes the two countries’ cooperation in various fields will make great progress with their joint efforts.

 

Jim Rogers on Euro, Investment Strategy, MF Global – BLOOMBERG

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) — Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, talks about his investment strategy and the collapse of MF Global Holdings Ltd. Rogers, speaking with Tom Keene on Bloomberg Television’s “Surveillance Midday,” also discusses the outlook for Brazil. (Source: Bloomberg)

Click here to watch the video direct from Bloomberg

Commentary: U.S. needs bigger thinking on Latin America

ANDRES OPPENHEIMER of the Miami Herald and CNN Español discusses US Foreign Policy towards Latin America

Note the author of this blog (me) does not always agree with what Mr. Oppenheimer says, but his article no less merits a quick read.  Some major points which any reader giving this a quick skim should note –>

1/ The Obama Administration has left the post of Head Latin American affairs vacant for 5 months.  So much for making good on promises back in 2008 to forge closer ties with the region… Big disappointment here, but not any worse or better than the disappointment / let down his predecessor Bush Jr also produced.  It seems the last President to care at all about the region was Clinton who did more than organize summits… He laid the foundation for FTA’s with countries in the region via NAFTA

2/ Obama did not visit Brazil, the growing powerhouse and member of the BRIC club until 3 years into his presidency. When he did visit, he received nothing but criticism for going through with the official visit between the heads of state of the Western Hemisphere’s two largest economies… because the visit happened to coincide with start of Western Military efforts in Libya. For the US media which pointed the finger at Obama, shame on you, the President does not physically need to be in the United States to be “Commander and Chief,” especially for an internationally organized, and initially French lead military mission.  For Obama, shame on you too! It took you three years to visit Brazil!  I think for Brazilians this is an obvious insult, but even for the rest of South America (and Latin America as a whole), Obama, Bush Jr. and the United States… well… Latin America is feeling a bit as if they are being ignored.  One thing is certain – China is not ignoring Latin America, nor is India, Russia or even small players like Singapore which is investing to expand the Panama Canal.  

3/ As Ray Walser,  Senior Policy Analyst for Latin America at The Heritage Foundation very appropriately points in a 2009 publication “U.S Policy toward Latin America in 2009 and Beyond”  From 1996 to 2006, total U.S. merchandise trade with Latin America grew by 139percent, compared to 96 percent for Asia and 95 percent for the European Union. In 2006, the U.S. exported $223 billion worth of goods to Latin American consumers(compared with $55 billion to China). Fifty-one percent of U.S. energy imports originate from Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil.

Excerpt from Oppenheimer’s article –>

U.S. diplomatic ties with Latin America, which have been in limbo for months, got a small boost last week when President Barack Obama nominated Roberta Jacobson as top State Department official in charge of Latin American affairs. But that alone will not do much to revert the gradual loss of U.S. clout in the region.

Granted, the career diplomat gets high marks from almost everybody in Washington’s small world of Latin American affairs specialists. Unlike her predecessor Arturo Valenzuela, a political appointee whose nomination in 2009 was blocked for several months by Conservative republicans, the Senate is expected to easily confirm her nomination.

Among the most urgent issues Jacobson would have to deal with would be the long-stalled U.S. ratification of the free trade deals with Colombia and Panama, the escalating violence in Mexico, and the April 2012, 34-country Summit of the Americas in Colombia.

On a wider spectrum, she would have to find new ways to improve ties with the region at a time when China has eclipsed much of the previous U.S. economic influence in South America’s commodity producing countries.

Click here to read Oppenheimer’s full article via the Kansas City Star

Global gloom places Latin America on alert – Financial Times

Interesting article written by John Paul Rathbone, Latin America editor of the Financial Times.

Every day Luis Castilla, Peru’s finance minister, says he lights a candle and “prays that China won’t crash”.

His prayers are echoed by many in a region that remains one of the world economy’s few bright spots. South America’s commodity-rich economies grew 5 per cent in the first half of this year. Last year, these new motors of the world economy added half a percentage point to global output.

But slowing Asian demand and plunging commodity prices have raised the spectre that South America, having largely escaped the 2008-09 Great Recession, may not be so lucky this time around.

Main point = Potential new financial crisis in the “Developed World” + slow down in China = Scared Latinos

Click here to read the full article direct from the Financial Times

ECLAC Sees Favorable Conditions for L.America-China Relations

The current economic and trade conditions in the Latin American and Caribbean region are highly favorable to furthering its trade and investment relations with China and the Asia-Pacific, a UN official said Friday.

“China has become a strategic trade partner for Latin America and the Caribbean, and there are many opportunities to achieve export and investment agreements in fields such as mining, engineering, agriculture, infrastructure, science and technology,” said Alicia Barcena, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC).

Barcena made the remarks while presenting a report titled “The People’s Republic of China and Latin America and the Caribbean: Towards a new phase in the economic and trade link” to mark Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping’s visit to the region.

The report says China is the main destination of Brazilian and Chilean exports and the second largest for Costa Rica, Cuba, Peru and Venezuela, but the region’s export basket to China remains centered on raw materials.

“It is possible and necessary to advance on trade diversification, the creation of a trade alliance between the Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, and to increase investment between both parties and enhance cooperation in innovation, education, science and technology,” Barcena said.

Click here to read the full article direct from http://english.cri.cn