As US tariffs on Chinese goods reached triple digits earlier this year, China’s exporters responded by accelerating their push into alternative markets — including parts of Latin America, where electric vehicles, electronics and chemical fertilizers have seen significant import growth. While the trade flows have brought certain economic benefits, they have also raised structural concerns about whether Chinese investment is creating lasting industrial value or simply relocating assembly without the technology and knowledge transfer that host countries need to build their own capabilities.
Diego Rodriguez, logistics and industrial practice leader at Americas Market Intelligence, has his views on the matter. For CNN, he said:
“Deindustrialization is a big problem when Chinese companies start to invest… because they bring just the assembly, they don’t do technology and knowledge transfer.”
Rodriguez noted that countries like Brazil are pushing back against this dynamic. His comments were part of CNN’s broader investigation into China’s trade resilience and its expanding footprint across the Global South as Beijing navigates a prolonged trade dispute with the United States.
You are welcome to read the full coverage in CNN’s article: China used its trade juggernaut to withstand US tariffs. Can it keep its edge?
