Heine Examines the China-Latin America Alliance on a Radio Show
Ambassador Jorge Heine of the Pardee School recently appeared on Panamá En Directo, one of the most popular talk radio shows in Panama. The professor discussed the fourth China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Ministerial Forum held in Beijing last month, which symbolized the flourishing ties between the Eastern superpower and Latin America.
Heine explained that the presence of the three most prominent leaders of South America — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, President Gabriel Boric of Chile, and President Gustavo Petro of Colombia — at the forum sends a very powerful message. Their trade coalition with President Xi Jinping coincides with the rising tensions between China and the United States. It demonstrates that the Latin American leadership refuses to choose sides and intends to maintain healthy commercial relations with both superpowers.
The trade between China and South America has already surpassed $500 billion. This automatically makes China the number one trading partner for the southern continent. Heine explained South American countries have benefited greatly from China’s proactive involvement in the continent’s growth not only with regards to trade but also infrastructure-based investments. For example, China played a key role in the development of Chancay Port in Peru, which is now one of the most advanced harbors on the western coast of South America.
Heine also spoke about active non-alignment, the central topic of his latest book, The Non-Aligned World: Striking Out in an Era of Great Power Competition (2025) that essentially encourages countries in the Global South to adopt a neutral position to navigate the U.S.-China tensions and prioritize national interests. He argued that preference for one superpower effectively shrinks a developing nation’s leverage, leaving them little or no room to negotiate.
To watch the complete discussion on Panamá En Directo, click here.
Jorge Heine is a research professor at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and an interim director at the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future. He was a former ambassador of Chile to China, India, and South Africa and also served as a cabinet minister in the Chilean government. Heine has written 18 books, including Latin American Foreign Policies in the New World Order: The Active Non-Alignment Option (2022) that provides insights on how the Global South leadership can navigate the changing diplomacy landscape amid the U.S.-China rivalry. To learn more about Prof. Heine’s scholarly pursuits and accomplishments, visit his faculty profile.