National Power in Sino-Caribbean Relations: CARICOM in the Geopolitics of the Belt and Road Initiative

In the context of international relations between China and Latin America, this paper offers an innovative perspective by investigating the evolution of the relationship between the People’s Republic of China and the Caribbean Community [CARICOM] over the past decade, with a distinctive emphasis on national power as a pivotal analytical framework. Against the backdrop of profound shifts in the international geostructure, marked by China’s emergence as a regional-global power and the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative [BRI], the political, commercial, and financial dynamics between China and CARICOM member countries have experienced significant transformations. This study highlights its contribution by placing national power at the center of its theoretical approach, providing a unique insight into the complexities present in these relationships. The analysis is structured into five segments, accentuating CARICOM’s geostructural exceptionalities and scrutinizing the participation of its member states in the BRI. This approach not only illuminates Sino-Caribbean relations but also enriches the broader theoretical framework within the field of international relations.