China

Rare lands are a strategic advantage for China. A large part of the reserves of these minerals are found in the Asian country. However, rare earth mining is highly polluting, so China has undertaken to limit its production.

It has imposed quotas on the volume of rare earth exports since 2010 so that it can take advantage of the world's dependence on this mineral. There are quotas on production, in addition to export quotas, which respond to both the inherent pollution of these materials and the incipient diversification of production.

Rare earth mining is a double-edged weapon for the environment, on the one hand, it means an important input; and on the other hand, the pollution it represents has been devastating for some regions in Asia.

The outbreak of COVID-19 began in China in late December 2019, with quarantine and confinement beginning in January. The health regulations stopped many global value chains, mainly those of pharmaceuticals, automobiles, aeronautics, electronics and telecommunications.

Faced with the problem, the Chinese government immediately implemented policies to prevent the economy from collapsing. What happened to the economy during the pandemic? Has it recovered?

Economic policy actions have mitigated the downturn and boosted the recovery of the Chinese economy. This makes it the only country in the world with a reliable "V" shape recovery, with real quarterly growth annualized in 2020.

China's expansion in Latin America is not limited to trade, investment and clean energy, as financing in the region is increasingly important. There are two forms of financing for Latin America from the Chinese giant: commercial banking and development banking.

Between 2005 and 2018, there is a total of $141 billion in loans to Latin American countries. The loans to Latin America are mostly energy projects (69%), including hydroelectric plants in Ecuador, the solar park in Jujuy and oil production in Brazil and Venezuela.

China reaffirms its interest in the region with the expansion of financing to Latin American countries, and its search for hegemony takes another step forward by financing and building projects that help the New Silk Road located in Latin America.

EEUU se lanzó en una guerra arancelaria, desde 2018, contra la economía exportadora más dinámica: China. El objetivo no sólo era reducir el déficit comercial con ésta economía, sino debilitar su dinámica de crecimiento económico y reducir su creciente participación en el mercado exportador. Sin embargo, el resultado no ha favorecido a EEUU y ha sido adverso al orden internacional multilateral.

Después de 23 meses de guerra, 7 rondas de agresiones arancelarias mutuas, más de 15 mil productos gravados, 600 mil millones de dólares en aranceles y dos periodos de tregua las dos economías entraron en un primer acuerdo.

Con este Acuerdo y el nuevo TMEC, EEUU avanza en la construcción de un nuevo orden comercial internacional sobre la ley del más fuerte.