If President Donald Trump’s actions are any indication, the Monroe Doctrine, the two-century-old framework that claimed the Western Hemisphere as America’s exclusive sphere of influence, is once again official U.S. policy. Back in the 1800s, the target was meddling European powers prone to interfering in what Washington considered its backyard. Now, the Trump administration has fixated on China’s growing activities south of the U.S. border, seemingly fearful that Beijing will evict the United States from its long-held position of dominance there.
Yet the coercive approach that Trump and his advisors have adopted threatens to undermine, not strengthen, the U.S. position in Latin America. As the U.S. alienates its longtime friends, China is prepared to market itself as an alternative.
Like all great powers throughout history, China’s ambitions have grown with its wealth. Latin America, which Beijing merely nodded to in the 20th century, is a target of Chinese economic and political activity in the 21st. Trade between China and Latin American states has risen exponentially, from $18 billion in 2002, to $450 billion in 2022, with China replacing the United States as the top trading partner for some of the region’s largest economies. Investment too is on the rise. From rail lines in Mexico to dams in Ecuador, Chinese-backed conglomerates have bankrolled numerous infrastructure projects across the region.
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