The increasing economic presence of China in the Caribbean: Practical and theoretical dimensions of the strategies adopted and related issues
China’s increasing presence in the Caribbean region since the late 1990’s has been reflected in a marked growth in both bilateral trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from China to the Caribbean. The increasing number of exchanges has been accompanied by closer diplomatic ties and different forms of aid from China. The governments of these foundering Caribbean economies are currently warmly welcoming such new partnerships. The aim of this brief article is to explain how China’s growing presence is evidenced in the region, unscramble the mix of players involved and explore what precisely China’s real aims are in the Caribbean. This also brings us to look more closely at issues stemming from the sustainability and adaptability of the resulting core-periphery model and consider what lessons the Caribbean region might draw from its newly minted reality.