BEIJING, April 16 -- Common strategic interest will bring China close to Latin America as both seek development in a new global order.
Relations between China and Latin America have seen a remarkable "leap forward" since the beginning of the century, helping to bolster multilateral international politics. President Hu Jintao's visit to Brazil indicates that the Chinese government is keen to promote the relations, which it considers strategically important.
Along with its booming economy and rising influence on the international stage, China's economic interests are expanding. Consequently, its strategic interests are spreading from adjacent areas to others further away. Latin America, as a crucial emerging market, also has increasing interests in China.
Despite trade friction between them, China and Latin America, amid a dramatic realignment of international powers in the post-financial-crisis era, can assist each other strategically. Based on a common aim of economic development, the potential of complementary trade and business relations can be further exploited.
From a traditional geopolitical standpoint, China and Latin America can be remote from each other and might not seem as natural partners. Hence, the strategic importance has long been ignored.
But in recent years, economic ties have become closer and the spillover effects of China's economic development have extended to Latin America. Therefore, their interests have become deeply tied together. From the perspective of international politics, Latin America is an emerging power that may propel the world toward multipolarization.