Adaptive China: Engaging Local Realities in Latin America and Beyond

On 11 November 2025, Tinhinan El Kadi, Postdoctoral Researcher at the TIDE Centre, University of Oxford, participated in the event “Adaptive China: Engaging Local Realities in Latin America and Beyond,” organised by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Universidad del Pacífico. The discussion examined how China’s engagement across the Global South — particularly in digital sectors — increasingly reflects local development priorities rather than the export of a single, uniform model.

Drawing on her research, Tinhinan highlighted three factors behind the success of Chinese digital firms. First, they deliver cost-competitive digital infrastructure projects that are often bundled with flexible financing, combining technology, services, and credit. Second, Chinese firms align closely with national digital strategies, tailoring their offerings to domestic agendas such as smart government, cloud expansion, and artificial intelligence. Third, commercial projects are frequently accompanied by training and capacity-building initiatives, appealing to governments seeking to expand local digital capabilities. Together, these factors help explain why China’s digital engagement resonates across diverse contexts: it adapts to local visions and institutions rather than imposing external development pathways.

Relevant links:
https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2025/11/adaptive-china-engaging-local-realities-in-latin-america-and-beyond