The Anaconda and the Dragon: institutional collaboration between Latin America and China

TL;DR

This paper examines the evolving institutional collaboration between Latin America, the Caribbean, and China, highlighting shifts in regional roles, network structures, and the emergence of new key institutions over recent years.

Contribution

It provides a novel analysis of the changing dynamics and structural transformations in Latin America-China institutional collaborations using network analysis.

Findings

Latin American institutions moved from periphery to more central roles.

Chinese institutions initially led as social bridges, later replaced by Colombian institutions.

Australia has become a key intermediary region.

Abstract

The institutional coauthorships between LAC and China were fertilized through their participation in global leadership related projects. The institutions in each region diverged from their initial position: LAC to the periphery and China to the center. Institutional communities have become more compact and their links with external communities have diminished. The entry of new institutions has increased, especially in the last six years. Chinese institutions exhibited at the time a leading role as social bridges. A Colombian institution later took over this role. Australia is consolidating its position as the geography with the most intermediary institutions.