Margaret Myers, director of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), said at an event that China has prioritized Latin America in its supply chain and resource strategies, particularly focusing on critical minerals and manufacturing.
"Latin America has, for two and a half decades, three decades almost now, really been a very big part of China's strategy with respect to supply chain development," said Myers. "Every day I see a new development in Chinese investment in critical minerals in some form or another. They really are depending mostly on imports and inputs from China for nearly all of the parts that they're producing."
According to Americas Market Intelligence, China has significantly increased its economic engagement with Latin America through 2025. This includes substantial investments and credit lines aimed at enhancing infrastructure, energy, and technology across the region. The report highlights China's focus on high-value sectors such as critical minerals and digital industries. This surge reflects Beijing’s intent to deepen hemispheric ties, challenging traditional U.S. dominance in the Global South. The shift underscores the strategic importance China places on Latin America as both a resource supplier and a market for high-end products.
The State Council of the People's Republic of China reported that by 2024, China’s direct investment in Latin America reached approximately US$14.71 billion. Concurrently, Latin American firms established around 37,000 enterprises in China by March 2025, indicating intensifying bilateral economic integration. The focus is increasingly on sectors like high-end manufacturing and green energy, especially critical minerals such as lithium and copper—areas pivotal to global supply chains and China's technological ambitions. This data reinforces how China's financial commitments are shaping the region’s industrial and resource landscape.
According to New Security Beat, China has established dominance in Latin America's critical minerals market through state-led financing and corporate acquisitions. Chinese companies have significantly controlled lithium, copper, and other strategic resources essential for renewable energy and electric vehicles. Notably, Ganfeng Lithium invested nearly US$980 million in Argentina in 2025 alone to secure critical lithium supplies as part of a broader push to access the "Lithium Triangle" region, which holds about 40% of global reserves. This move underscores China's long-term strategy to integrate raw-material sourcing into its global industrial framework.
Myers is a managing director and a leading expert on China-Latin America relations at Johns Hopkins SAIS. She also serves as a senior advisor to the Inter-American Dialogue and the US Institute of Peace while being a global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Myers has published extensively on China's engagement in Latin America, co-editing volumes like "The Political Economy of China-Latin America Relations" and testifying before several U.S. congressional committees. Her previous roles include positions at the U.S. Department of Defense and Inter-American Dialogue; she has earned fellowships from institutions such as the Council on Foreign Relations, Fulbright Program, and Woodrow Wilson Center.
