The US-China Rivalry in Latin America After 2000

Abstract

Since the 2000s, the rivalry between the United States and China has been generally perceived as a threat to American hegemony in the international system. Alongside Asia, Latin America has turned into one of the battlefields of geostrategic rivalry. China has been steadily increasing its influence and presence in the region where the US has regarded as its backyard since the declaration of the "Monroe Doctrine". The US has taken some actions to deter China from having a more influential position in the region. China is being considered as a political and economic alternative to the US by Latin American countries. The main argument of this study is that China has gained an undeniable footprint in Latin America thanks to its long-term, well-planned policies; Beijing can use its growing influence in the region as leverage in case of a conflict with the US in the South-Asia area within the context of a hegemonic war.