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China, the EU and Latin America : current issues and future cooperation
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28 China theEUandLatinAmerica:CurrentIssuesandFutureCooperation previouslymentioned widediscrepanciesintechnicalandtechnologicaladvance withinLatinAmerica asinotherdevelopingcontinents considerablyrestricts thescopeforwideranging ambitiousinitiativesofthisnature. ThishashelpedfuelabroadlyheldperceptionofLatinAmericaaslargelya recipientofforeignaidandabeneficiaryofdevelopedcountrycooperation with littletoofferinitsownright.Inotherwords itisseenasapassiveobserverof theongoingrestructuringoftrade financialandtechnologicalflowsthatgoesby thenameof globalisation .ThisissomethingBrazilwishestoseechangeasit endeavourstouseintegrationasthebasisfortheregionjoiningmoreeffectively andintelligentlyinthe worldeconomy.It mightthereforedeal withthe questions:WhatistherelevanceoftheEUandChinaforLatinAmerica Or in otherwords howshouldLatinAmericareacttothechallengesofglobalisation andhowdoesBrazilseeitsroleinthis FromaLatinAmericanperspective themainchallengeistoavoidbeing suckedintowhatmostLatinAmericanswouldcall neocolonialism revisited wherebytheregioncontinuestosupplyrawmaterialstodevelopedeconomiesin exchangeforvalueaddedproductsandservices.Escapingthistraphasalways beenacentralplankofLatin Americaneconomicthinking.Underlyingthis perceptionisastronglyheldsenseofalonghistoryofexpropriationofthe regionsnaturalresourcesatthehandsofpowerfullocalelitesoperatingatthe behestofforeigninterests.Itisthereforeunderstandablethatpublicopinionin someofthesecountriesiseasilyledtointerpretinstarktermsattemptsby foreignenterprisesandgovernmentstoensurelongterm accesstolocalraw materials.Theelectioninrecentyearsofleftwinggovernmentsthroughoutthe regiongoessomewaytowardsexplaininggrowingeconomic especiallyenergy nationalism.Itexpressestheunderlyingaspirationtoensurethattheregions richesgenerateprosperitybackhomeandforall notjustafavouredfew. Thissenseofnotwantingtobesomeones backyard eithereconomically orstrategically hastakenonnew meaningandforceastheworldcomesunder thefullforceoftheglobalisationrevolution.Itisunderstoodthatthenew competitiveglobal marketisopening up novelopportunitiesto developthe regionsnaturalendowmentsandsignificantconsumer marketsina manner whichwillfostersustainablegrowth.Brazilhasbeenattheforefrontofefforts todeveloptheintegratedregionaleconomyrequiredifLatin Americanisto overcomethestructurallimitationsthathavehistoricallyheldtheregionback. This means using the promise of global markets to invest heavily in infrastructuralinvestmentsintransport communicationsandenergythatwill