2 98 China , theEUandLatinAmerica:CurrentIssuesandFutureCooperation Thisscheme would bringtotheregion atendencytowards greater specialisationingoodsforsectorsstronglycommittedtotheuseofnatural resources , suchasraw materials , foodandfuels.Butisthisthepatternthat MERCOSURdesires ? Asthedatashow , thestrongRCAsectorsoftheSouthern Conearelowintensiveintermsoflabour , andthemorethreatenedsectorsare thoserequiringmoreunskilledlabour , suchassectorsinwhichChinaisstilla worldleaderandwhicharerelativelyjobsensitiveintheregion , suchastextiles andclothing , automobilesandspareparts.Therefore , inapassivescenario , therewouldbenegativepressureonthelabourmarketandnegativeimpactson povertyindices.Likewise , thefactthattradespecialisationisbasicallylocatedin thefoodsectormakesthissectortradableandexposesittointernationalprice volatility.Aslongasinternationalpricesincreasetherewillbeanegativeimpact onthecostofthebasicconsumptionbasketandthiswouldnegativelyaffectthe mostunprotectedsocialgroups. Whatshouldbedone ? JustasinlessthantwodecadesChinastoppedbeingan economybasedonarelativeabundanceoflabourandlowrealwages ( andthereforea highrealexchangerate ), similarlyMERCOSURshouldpursuemediumtolongterm policiestoenhancetheglobalcompetitivenessofsectorswithhighervalueadded , thoughwithoutabandoningitsinternationalinsertionbasedontherelativeabundanceof naturalresources.Thesestrategieswouldhavepositiveeffectsonthelabourmarket , socialindicators , thebalanceofpayments ( giventheinternationalpricevolatilityof commodities ) andtheenvironment. Chinasexperienceprovidessomeinterestingreferences:productivitygains arenotgeneratedbyclosinganeconomy , butbygraduallyandorderlyexposing thetradesectortocompetition.Buttheproductivesectorsmustbepreparedfor this challenge.Improving production factors , designing adequate education policies , anddevelopinginnovationandFDIattractionpoliciesareonlyafewof themorerelevantfactors.Aneconomyscompetitivenessisalsoimprovedby publicprivate , publicpublic and privateprivate cooperation ( clusters and productivevaluechains , forinstance , arean efficienttoolforimproving competitiveness , together withtheconditionsforlocaldevelopment ) .Such policiesmayinvolveanationalbutalsoaregionaldimension , andthereforethe articulationofproductionnetworksamongpublicinstitutionsseemsrelevantfor themembersofMERCOSUR. Finally , thereismuchroomforChinaand MERCOSURtocooperateand shareexperiences.Therefore , cooperationisanotherstrategylikelytoproduce significantresultsinthemediumterm.
Konferenzband
China, the EU and Latin America : current issues and future cooperation
Entstehung
Einzelbild herunterladen
verfügbare Breiten