New From CFR: Shannon O’Neil and Foreign Affairs on China in the Developing World

Two recent items discuss China’s involvement in different regions of the developing world. On her blog, CFR senior fellow Shannon O’Neil evaluates Chinese trade with, investment in, and loans to Latin America. These links are growing, O’Neil writes, though not as quickly as many suggest. She concludes:

China’s presence in Latin America, as in many places, holds both promises and perils. But it is a reality. The challenge for Latin American countries will be to harness these ties for bigger gains for their own economies and people.

Meanwhile, the November/December issue of Foreign Affairs features a short review by Nicholas van de Walle of China and Africa: A Century of Engagement, a book by David H. Shinn and Joshua Eisenman. As van de Walle writes:

Their analysis does not break new ground in explaining Chinese motivations or the impact of Chinese policy on Africa, but it does describe in comprehensive detail the diplomatic, commercial, and security facets of the new Chinese presence, with sections on every African country.

China’s role in Africa was also the topic of a Development Channel series last summer, and this week Richard Dowden weighed China’s impact on Africa against that of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.