New Directions for China’s FDI in South America Based on the Belt and Road Initiative: What to Expect From South-South Relations in the Future

The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze China’s investments in selected countries in South America before and after joining the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It is believed that with adherence to the route, investments in infrastructure, electricity and transport gained greater proportions due to the terms of commitment established by the Chinese. The official invitation for integration took place in 2018 during the II Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, since then with the participation of 20 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean. The study analyzed the pattern of investments according to the year of entry of nations in the BRI, namely: Chile (2018), Ecuador (2018), Venezuela (2018), and Peru (2019). The countries listed are the route members that have the largest stocks of Chinese FDI accumulated in South America, with the exception of Argentina, included in the plan in 2022 and therefore not part of the sample. The data indicate that after the invitation to join the BRI, investments in the region gained greater proportions and began to favor sectors that collaborate with the development of countries, with a win-win relationship between those involved.