Latin America Advisor

Latin America Advisor

A Publication of The Dialogue

Can Guatemala Have Strong Ties With China and Taiwan?

Guatemala’s president has said he wants closer ties with China while still recognizing Taiwan. Guatemala City is pictured. // File Photo: José Hernández via Creative Commons.

Guatemala will maintain its diplomatic relations with Taiwan and simultaneously seek closer economic ties with China, the Central American country’s new president, Bernardo Arévalo, said in February. Guatemala is among fewer than a dozen countries that have full formal relations with Taiwan. How much will Arévalo’s government be able to increase economic ties with China while maintaining relations with Taiwan? How important are Taiwan and Guatemala to each other? How much of an incentive does Guatemala have to sever relations with Taiwan and establish them with China?

Santiago Herdoiza, Cambridge, Mass.-based independent trade and policy analyst: “Guatemala’s capacity to bolster economic ties with China to their full potential would remain constrained absent a diplomatic break with Taiwan. Understandably, expanding commerce with Beijing is an appealing opportunity for President Bernardo Arévalo. Fighting labor informality and poverty—which according to the World Bank affects more than 50 percent of Guatemalans—is a top priority for his government. China’s economic and demographic weight vis-à-vis Taiwan offers Guatemalan exporters vast growth opportunities. For instance, China’s historic position as a leading sugar importer could spur increased sales of this staple Guatemalan export. Along with bananas and coffee, the opening of China’s market to agricultural goods would benefit the campesino and Indigenous populations, two traditionally neglected groups. Not to mention…”

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About the Latin America Advisor

The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.


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Gene Kuleta

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P. 202.463.2920
E. gkuleta@thedialogue.org

Carl David Goette-Luciak

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