Introduction: China and Taiwan in Latin America and the Caribbean: History, Power Rivalry, and Regional Implications

Abstract

The introduction to China and Taiwan in Latin America and the Caribbean: History, Power Rivalry, and Regional Implications provides an overview of the fourteen chapters and conclusion that are covered in the volume. The introduction notes that most of the chapters point out that the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the international recognition of Taiwan, and the subsequent derecognition of Taiwan are pivotal to understanding the rivalry for diplomatic recognition in the Caribbean and Latin America. The rivalry between China and Taiwan for an economic, military, cultural, and security presence in the two regions presents challenges for all actors. At the same time, it opens the door for mutual cooperation and an opportunity to forge strong ties—at least for China as Taiwan has few countries that still maintain diplomatic ties with it.

The chapters rely on two theoretical approaches: historical analysis and power rivalry. The introduction provides the reader with the significant and fundamental issues that the book will discuss and examine. In sum, the introduction allows the reader to know upfront that the chapters explore the historical, economic, security, military, cultural, and diplomatic relations among China, Taiwan, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The various policies and approaches that China, Taiwan, and individual countries in the Caribbean and Latin America have adopted, implemented, reversed, and abandoned are examined in the introduction. It is pointed out in the introduction that individual countries in the Caribbean and Latin America have switched their diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in response to regional and global economic concerns.