Chinese Solidarity With Latin America

Organised by Geopolitical Economy Research Group - GERG, Qiao Collective and ANTICONQUISTA Panelists -Nicholas Ayala, ANTICONQUISTA -Maria Victor, former member-at-large of the Ontario Law Commission -Marco Fernandes, Dongsheng News The Biden administration has set a clear course for continuing to escalate Washington’s aggression towards China. This comes at a time where movements against racism, against police violence, and for economic, social and climate justice are only growing. As the US sets the stage for confrontation with China, it’s increasingly important to think about how to channel the energy and momentum generated by these movements into preventing the escalation of violence and aggression by Washington and its allies. To do this, an understanding of the countries they target as official enemies is necessary. For progressives in Canada and the US, an understanding of progressive movements and government in Latin America is essential. In recent decades, Left movements and governments in Latin America have won victories, suffered setbacks and sustained popular movements that progressives in the US and Canada can learn from. Accordingly, they have often become the target of the US and Canadian governments. At the same, there is growing imperial anxiety over China’s increased presence in the region – Washington’s so-called “backyard”. Far from another imperial power aiming to subordinate Latin American countries to its own interests, China’s presence in the region presents opportunities to pursue economic development without having to submit to neoliberal imperial preferences. This panel will discuss progressive movements and governments in Latin America and their relationship with China.