TJP

Ignoring Latin America and Africa is Bad Policy

By Byron A. Ellis

October 20, 2007

Many Latin American countries are seeking to strengthen economic and cultural ties with China. Costa Rican president, Óscar Arias, is leading a delegation to Peking, China.

The principal objective of Arias’ visit is to attract Chinese investment. He wants China to build a petroleum refinery in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica will also be looking at the possibility of establishing free trade with China. President Arias believes that in the near future China will become the number one economic power. Thus, he wants to ensure good relations between the two countries.

China’s approach to Latin America, Africa, and other developing areas is not imperialistic. They indicated that Hu Jintao gives great importance to Arias’ visit.

The rejection and misperception of Latinos in the United States, the lack of attention to Latin American and African nations is bad policy and likely to have adverse effects on the U.S. ability to negotiate with developing nations.

Misrepresentation of racial and ethnic groups capabilities and potentials has always been the norm within the Euro-American ethos. Such philosophy has been applied to many newcomers, such as blacks, Jews, Irish, Italians, Asians, and now Hispanics. It is mostly manifested in laws and customs that deny certain forms of trade with the misperceived groups.

Denial of trade is not only applied to individuals and groups, but it is also applied to misperceived countries. In some instances, denial of trade involves wanton aggression to individuals and nations.

It is important, however, to understand that denial of trade to individuals, groups, or nations involves forgone opportunities and hence costs to both parties. Additionally, if the market is somewhat competitive, the agents denying the transactions will bore the cost.

The willingness of China to engage in transactions with nations that former colonial powers have misperceived creates a competitive environment and breaks the western block trade monopoly. As a result, China and the misperceived nations will be able capitalize on areas in which they have labor, capital, and natural resources superiority.

Thus, for western nations to continue to misperceive, mandate and or ignore racially distinct individuals, groups, and nations will be to their future detriment.