Experts at recent Peterson Institute events highlighted China’s growing role in advancing South‑South cooperation as Africa and Latin America push for deeper regional integration amid shifting global trade dynamics. In a discussion on African trade, Trudi Hartzenberg and David Luke stressed that stronger intra‑African integration is essential for resilience, especially as unpredictable US trade policies have created uncertainty but also spurred African Union members to prioritize their own agenda. Luke emphasized that preferential access programs, such as AGOA, work best when paired with the African Continental Free Trade Area, and noted that investment is crucial for industrialization and diversification.
Speakers also underscored China’s contribution through trade facilitation and zero‑tariff access for least‑developed countries.

In Latin America, economist Monica de Bolle pointed to the Chinese‑built Chancay Port in Peru as a transformative Belt and Road project, reducing logistics costs and reshaping regional connectivity while enabling more direct Pacific trade routes for countries across the continent.

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