Latin America is facing intensifying pressure from Washington to distance itself from China even as Beijing remains the region's leading trading partner. Governments are increasingly caught between U.S. strategic demands and the economic opportunities offered by China, making geopolitical balancing more difficult.

The shift from a rules-based order toward one defined by power is reinforcing the case for "active non-alignment," allowing countries to work with both powers according to their interests. At the same time, Latin America faces a deeper economic challenge: moving beyond exports of raw materials such as copper and lithium toward greater value addition and industrial development.

Ambassador Jorge Heine, honorary professor at the University of Chile's Institute of International Studies and non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute, joins Eric to examine Latin America's balancing act, including U.S. pressure on China ties, active non-alignment, and opportunities for deeper China-Latin America economic integration.

Show Notes

• ECLAC - Ruptures and opportunities: proposals for Latin America and the Caribbean to thrive in the new geopolitical era

• How U.S. pressure is reshaping China-Latin America relations
• The rise of active non-alignment as a strategy between Washington and Beijing
• Why China's role as Latin America's leading trading partner limits U.S. influence
• The challenge of moving beyond raw-material exports toward greater value-added production
• How China and Latin America could cooperate on copper, lithium, EVs, and green technology
• Why stronger China literacy is becoming essential for Latin American policymakers

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China's influence in Africa's media landscape increasingly operates through content-sharing agreements, journalist training, paid placements, and support for local broadcasters. These "below-the-line" strategies give Chinese narratives a pathway into African newsrooms that extends well beyond the reach of traditional state outlets such as CGTN and Xinhua.

But the push for greater Chinese influence raises a deeper question about decolonization. While Beijing presents its media engagement as an alternative to Western dominance, African journalists can be exposed to models of reporting that do not necessarily fit local political and social realities. At the same time, the shift toward social media makes the actual impact of these efforts increasingly difficult to measure.

Emeka Umejei, a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, joins Eric and Cobus to discuss the arguments from his book China in African Media: Between Influence Operations and Decolonization, content-sharing agreements, journalist training, and the future of African media independence.

Show Notes

• China in African Media: Between Influence Operations and Decolonization by Emeka Umejei

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode

• China's evolving media influence across Africa
• The rise of content-sharing agreements with African news outlets
• Journalist training, media exchanges, and the spread of Chinese reporting models
• The tension between China's "decolonization" narrative and African media independence
• How Chinese economic engagement strengthens its media influence
• The shift toward social media and the uncertain impact of foreign media campaigns on African audiences

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X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @stadenesque I @emekaumejei

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China's influence in Latin America is increasingly being built through smaller, less visible deals rather than the headline-grabbing infrastructure projects that defined its engagement in the 2010s. Surveillance technology, electric buses, power networks, critical minerals and subnational partnerships are creating a decentralized web of economic and political ties that can be harder to scrutinize or unwind.

For Washington, the challenge is that pressure on governments to reduce Chinese ties often comes without credible alternatives. Latin American countries, meanwhile, are balancing U.S. security pressure against China's economic complementarity, while seeking to preserve strategic autonomy.

Natalia Cote-Muñoz, the Managing Partner and CEO of Vantage Point Strategies, joins Eric to discuss China's evolving influence in Latin America, the risks of technological dependence, and how the U.S. and regional governments can respond.

Show Notes

• Foreign Affairs - China's Quiet Quest to Dominate Latin America: Small Projects, Big Influence by Natalia Cote-Muñoz

• China's shift from mega-projects to smaller, less visible investments in Latin America
• How subnational partnerships are becoming a key tool of Chinese influence
• The growing risks of technological and infrastructure dependence on China
• Why U.S. efforts to push back against China are often falling short
• Latin American countries' balancing act between China and the United States
• What China, the U.S., and Latin American governments should do differently to manage long-term geopolitical risks

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X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander I @CNASdc I @ncotemunoz

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