Keynote Remarks:

• Kimberly Breier, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. State Deptartment (Read her remarks.)

Panelists:

• Otaviano Canuto, Principal, Center for Macroeconomics and Development
• Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas
• Shanthi Kalathil, Senior Director, International Forum for Democratic Studies, National Endowment for Democracy
• Martin Maciak, Head of Asia Origination and RMB Internationalization, Americas, HSBC Securities (USA), Inc.
• Christopher Walker, Vice President for Studies and Analysis, National Endowment for Democracy
• Brian Winter, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas, and Editor-in-Chief, Americas Quarterly (moderator)

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Kimberly Breier opened a discussion on China and Latin America in Washington, DC to launch Americas Quarterly's new issue on the topic. Breier urged the Western Hemisphere to hold Chinese influence and investment in the region accountable, saying all economic actors in the region should “adhere to the highest standards for transparency, anti-corruption, debt sustainability, labor rights, environmental protection, and concern for local communities.”

After her remarks, experts on the Sino-Latin American relationship discussed what has changed in the relationship in the years, how the autoritarian Chinese state’s form of government affects its investment in the region, and the region’s options when trading with the Asian economy, as well as with the United States.