27 January, 2025 (Monday), 16:30 – 18:00 JST
IDEC Large Conference Room (in-person only)
About the Lecture
Concerns about local and foreign companies exploiting natural resources in Latin America are not new. Past experiences have strengthened legal frameworks and increased public awareness in the region. However, the booming presence of China presents new challenges and opportunities. As this presentation will show, while China seeks to distinguish itself from traditional Western partners of Latin America, the interests of Chinese companies in the region have been driven primarily by the extraction of oil, copper, iron ore, and the import of soybeans. This has led to environmental degradation, threatening water sources, forests, biodiversity, and livelihoods of local communities while intensifying climate change risks. Yet, China is getting a great deal of political support from many Latin American governments that may be more lenient toward the business practices of Chinese companies since they consider the ties to the Asian giant as an alternative to weakening interdependence from the Western nations.
The good news is that China has publicly acknowledged the environmental challenges linked to its extractive activities. This presentation will discuss how this recognition could create opportunities for Latin American governments and civil society to promote practices aligned with sustainable development principles and reduce the environmental impact of resource exploitation.
About the Speaker
Dr. Vladimir Rouvinski graduated from IDEC (2006) with a PhD in International Development and Cooperation. He also held a postdoctoral JSPS position at Hiroshima University. Since 2007, Dr. Rouvinski has been a professor in the Department of Political Studies and director of the Laboratory for Politics and International Relations (PoInt) at Icesi University in Cali, Colombia. He is also a specially appointed professor at Hokkaido University.
Dr. Rouvinski’s primary area of expertise is Asian and Russian relations with Latin America and the Caribbean. For over 10 years, he was Chair of the Asia and the Americas section at the Latin American Studies Association (LASA). Dr. Rouvinski also held research positions at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC, the Georg Eckert Institute in Braunschweig, Germany, and Florida International University in Miami, Florida.
Among his recent publications on China in Latin America is China’s Soft Power in Latin America.
https://dialogopolitico.org/special-edition-2024-keys-to-understanding-china/chinas-soft-power-in-latin-america/
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