Ameryka Łacińska w świetle rywalizacji Stany Zjednoczone – Chiny

The aim of this article is to analyse the change in China’s involvement in the Latin American region and the simultaneous weakening of the United States’ involvement in the region since the beginning of the 21st century. Over the past two decades, China has developed close economic, political and security ties with many Latin American countries. Chinese state-owned companies are major investors in the region’s energy, infrastructure and space industries, and the country has overtaken the United States as the largest trading partner of most countries in the region. Beijing has also expanded its diplomatic, academic, cultural and military presence. China’s growing presence in a region perceived as a traditional US sphere of influence is leading to increased concern and political and economic reactions from Washington. The article analyses the reasons for the decline in the United States’ interest in the Latin American region and the increasing importance of China’s economic, political, security and other interests in the region, and describes the United States’ reaction. The article concludes that this reaction is delayed and may be insufficient for the United States to regain the position that it held in the Latin American region two decades ago.