Translated title not available

Chinese economic development has been a phenomenon of the late 20th Century & will continue to impact the future. Latin American countries make up part of this new reality. In just a few years, China has become one of the most important economic partners for several Latin American countries. Political partnership, commercial exchange & bi-lateral cooperation with Latin America have increased drastically since Hu Jintao's arrival to power. This is largely due to China's demand for raw materials & natural resources. However, the growing relationship has a few rough edges. The majority of Latin American countries maintain a commercial surplus with China; however, this is heavily dependent on energy exports & a reduced number of raw materials & food. This situation could create a commercial dependency with potentially negative effects given the volatility of commodity prices of & China's international bargaining power. Adapted from the source document.