Jul 23 – Colombian Attorney General says that Colombia could potentially use evidence of Venezuelan support for rebels at the International Court of Justice. (Reuters)

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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

Reuters Video

Luxury brands have set up shop in China’s four wealthiest coastal cities, but are moving inland as the number of the nation’s rich grows. (01:50)

Peru prepares pisco promotional campaign in Asia

Lima, Jul. 12 (ANDINA). In a bid to boost pisco exports, Peru will launch a promotional campaign for increasing consumption of its national drink in the Asian continent.

“Pisco has enormous potential in the Asian market but we still have a lot to do. Commercial offices in the region are making progress and we must design an aggressive campaign,” said the director of the Commercial Office of Peru in Taipei, Gycs Gordon.

Peru’s GDP likely to post two-digit growth rate in second quarter

Lima, Jul. 12 (ANDINA). Peru’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate would have registered a two-digit increase in the second quarter this year, Peru’s Minister of Economy and Finances Mercedes Araoz said Monday.

Peru, Ecuador discuss tourism cooperation

Lima, Jul. 12 (ANDINA). Peruvian Trade and Tourism Minister Martin Perez will meet Monday with Ecuador’s Tourism Minister Freddy Ehlers to address issues relating to tourism facilitation, investment, community-based tourism and handicrafts, among others.

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 aim is to expand the company’s Tintaya Copper mine which is roughly 10km away, adding 60,000 tons of copper to annual production (a 60% increase).

Read more about this development in this article published by The Mining Journal

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.

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This video is a bit dated, but no less offers a concise perspective on Chinese gold demand. [AlJazeeraEnglish]