Introduction

This introduction reframes the debate on China–Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) relations by moving beyond the binary “China Threat” and “White Knight” narratives that dominate policy and academic discourse. Drawing on the author&s;s professional experience across diplomacy, defense, academia, and consulting, it situates China&s;s $500 billion trade relationship with LAC within a broader strategic evolution that encompasses ports, space cooperation, digital infrastructure, critical minerals, and security engagement. Grounded in three complementary international relations theories – complex interdependence, structural realism, and dependency theory – the author argues that China–LAC relations have shifted from predominantly commercial engagement after the 2008 financial crisis toward a layered strategy that integrates economic statecraft with geopolitical positioning. Concepts such as “strategic support points,” dual-use infrastructure, and digital sovereignty reveal an increasingly realist orientation in Chinese strategic thought, even as economic interdependence deepens. At the same time, Latin American and Caribbean states exercise agency, leveraging Chinese engagement while seeking to avoid structural dependency. By applying multiple theoretical lenses, this chapter establishes the analytical foundation for understanding how China&s;s expanding footprint is reshaping sovereignty, security, and great-power competition in the Western Hemisphere.