Hindustan Times ·
The US’s emerging contest with China in Latin America
Trump is expanding US security and strategic influence in Latin America to counter China, but Beijing’s economic grip on the region remains strong.
The second Donald Trump administration’s National Security Strategy highlights “enlist and expand” as the US’s primary strategy to engage with Latin American countries. This seeks to end external influence in the Western hemisphere and expand the US’s footprint through political influence, security, and trade. Its early progress suggests a deliberate sequence.
The US is Latin America’s largest trading partner. However, China is following suit, having surpassed the US in several South American countries in trade value over the last few years. Its expansion focused on critical minerals, infrastructure, and clean energy, grew from roughly $296 billion in 2020 to over $500 billion by 2024. Beijing reaffirmed this commitment to the region at the 12th China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Infrastructure Cooperation Forum in June 2026, underlining the depth of its economic influence in this part of the globe.
