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The Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), in collaboration with the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), held the Second International Seminar on Contemporary Chinese Studies (SIECC) under the theme "China, Latin America and the Caribbean in the New Global Reordering." The event established itself as a multidisciplinary academic forum that analyzed China's growing influence on the international stage and its geopolitical, economic, and cooperation implications for Latin America and the Caribbean.
In a context of accelerated transformations—with new centers of power, energy transition, technological disputes, and a profound climate crisis—the seminar sought to generate strategic reflections on the region's positioning in the face of these changes. As Rebecca Igreja, Secretary General of FLACSO, pointed out, understanding this historical moment implies “revisiting Latin America's own trajectory and rethinking its place in the new global reality.”
The event was attended by Brazilian government officials, representatives of the Chinese government, academics, and specialists from 15 countries. More than 30 panelists gathered at the BNDES headquarters, a venue chosen to strengthen the academic, financial, and political dialogue also fostered by discussions held at the IV Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum.
During the opening, Nelson Barbosa highlighted the importance of productive integration between Brazil and China: “For integration to be sustainable and progressive, it must go beyond complementarity. Today we see Chinese companies setting up for industrial production in Brazil; that is the example we can give to the world.”
The seminar also highlighted the expansion of trade, which, according to ECLAC data, increased 35-fold between 2000 and 2022, reaching nearly US$500 billion. In the case of Brazil, bilateral trade with China exceeded US$181 billion in 2023.
Over two days, researchers, policymakers, think tank representatives, and members of the private sector debated four strategic themes: digital sovereignty, the climate crisis, integration pathways and regional dilemmas, and cultural, academic, and scientific cooperation. The main conclusions will be compiled in a special publication that will provide input for the design of public policies and bi-regional cooperation strategies.
The SIECC reaffirms FLACSO's commitment to rigorous analysis and South-South cooperation, promoting meeting spaces that strengthen regional understanding of the challenges of the new international order.
Relive SIECC 2025! Download the event proceedings for free.
Voices from The Seminary
Interviews and programs
Explore the interviews and special podcast episode from the FLACSO General Secretariat about the II International Seminar on Contemporary Chinese Studies
Podcast Región FLACSO - Episodio Especial
The China-Latin America relationship has become one of the most relevant axes for understanding the transformations of the contemporary international system. Its impact on infrastructure, cooperation, strategic integration, and regional dynamics redefines the capacity for action of Latin American countries, as well as their negotiating power vis-à-vis other global actors, including geopolitical competition with the United States. 🇨🇳📍🌎 In this episode of the FLACSO Region podcast, we speak with Cintia Quiliconi, Marcos Gibson, and Lina Luna, who analyze these processes from the perspective presented at the Second International Seminar on Contemporary Chinese Studies, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and organized by the FLACSO General Secretariat in collaboration with BNDES. The participants address key topics such as the challenges of Latin American integration, Brazil's central role in the relationship with China, internal changes in the Asian giant, and the importance of building common frameworks for interpretation in a global scenario that demands greater strategic cohesion. The participants address key issues such as the challenges of Latin American integration, Brazil's centrality in the relationship with China, internal changes in the Asian giant, and the importance of building common frameworks for interpretation in the face of a global scenario that demands greater strategic cohesion.