The Heat on China-South America railroad venture

The Heat

It’s a huge investment between China and Latin America for the possibility of a transcontinental railroad connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic. This is just one of the deals announced during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s first official trip to Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Chile.

He is dubbed by many Chinese media outlets as the “super salesman” for being able to sell what his country has to offer. Premier Li was accompanied by an entourage of Chinese business leaders in electricity, manufacturing as well as the financial sector. The focus of his visit to Brazil and Peru was a feasibility study for a railroad that spans five thousand kilometers, with, incredibly, a budget of up to 10 billion US dollars to spend on it. The project aims to shorten transportation time across Latin America, while reducing the cost of shipping from Brazil to China, the rail link would also cut across the Amazon and is therefore a serious environmental concern.

To discuss Premier Li’s visit to South America, CCTV invited on a panel of people who focus on the region:

  • Charles Tang from Rio De Janeiro is the chairman of the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
  • From London, Francisco Dominguez is the head of the Center for Brazilian and Latin American Studies at Middlesex University.
  • From Beijing, Victor Gao, director of the China National Association of International Studies.
  • Latin America is traditionally within the U.S. sphere of influence. Both sides enjoy strong economic and cultural ties. The Heat continued its discussion by focusing on the idea that a business deal between China and Latin American countries could possibly affect the U.S. and Latin America’s current economic ties. Peter Deshazo, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. State Department came on to discuss.