China’s economic and political role in the Caribbean and Central America
This is the second report in a series of three studies into the economic and political influence of China in Latin American and the Caribbean, and the implications for the region’s relations with Europe and the US. The report presents the findings of our research about the Chinese presence in the Caribbean Basin: the Caribbean and Central America, including the Caribbean coast of South America and the Guyanas.
About the authors
Barbara Hogenboom is Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Amsterdam and Director of the Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation (CEDLA). She is Managing Editor of the European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies (ERLACS).
Michiel Baud is Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Amsterdam and former Director of CEDLA (2000–2017). Previously, he was Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Leiden (1995–2000).
Ruben Gonzalez-Vicente is Associate Professor in Political Economy at the University of Birmingham. He previously worked at the City University of Hong Kong (2012–2016) and the University of Leiden (2017–2021). He is Editor at The People’s Map of Global China.
Diego Steinhöfel is Research Assistant at CEDLA–UvA. He previously worked at Brot für die Welt (2021) and at German Development Cooperation, GIZ (2016–2019). He graduated in Latin American Studies from CEDLA.
Renske Pin was raised in Curaçao. She works as an independent researcher for, and with, various knowledge institutes in the Caribbean region and founded RE-Quest Research & Consultancy. She worked as an Associated Professor at the University of the Netherlands Antilles and has a MSc diploma in Communication Sciences and a PhD in Behavioural Sciences.
The authors want to thank Glenn Thodé, Erwin Arkenbout, Iris Monnereau, Paul Tsjon sie Fat, Ranu Abhelakh, Gert Oostindie and all the interviewees in Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten for their insights, which have helped to shape this report.
Design and Layout: Miren Zubizarreta.
Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation
Since its creation in 1964, the Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation (CEDLA), hosted by the University of Amsterdam, has promoted Latin American Studies in the Netherlands, Europe and beyond. We do this by conducting and stimulating relevant and original research on developments in Latin America and distributing the results of this research internationally via academic education at BA, MA and PhD levels. Based on a long history of multi-disciplinary research and studies in the fields of both Social Sciences and Humanities (including cultural anthropology, history, political science, human geography, sociology and economics), we increasingly apply interdisciplinary approaches in our projects and education.
