The Global Gateway and the BRI in Latin America: Rival Connectivity Frameworks in a Fragmented Order
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26754/ojs_ried/ijds.12635Keywords:
Belt and Road Initiative, Global Gateway, Latin America and the Caribbean, Infrastructure, Hegemony, International OrderAbstract
This article examines the strategic competition between China and the European Union (EU) through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Global Gateway, focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Based on the premise that infrastructure has emerged as a new geopolitical and geoeconomic tool, it analyses how each actor uses infrastructure to consolidate its power and influence. Employing a qualitative and comparative method, the study outlines the presence of both initiatives in the region. The findings indicate that the BRI has enabled China to expand its influence, whereas the Global Gateway has yet to achieve comparable results for the EU. Nonetheless, the primary aim of the Global Gateway appears to be containing China’s rise and defending the principles and institutions of the Liberal International Order. Thus, both initiatives should be understood as broader efforts to reshape regional power dynamics and influence the international order.
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