About OLAC
The Latin America - China Observatory at UBA is a space for research, publication, communication, and advisory on the bi-regional cooperation agenda between China and Latin America and the development policies based on Science, Technology, and Innovation.
What do we seek?
OLAC seeks to contribute to the construction of the regional agenda for the sustainable development within the framework of the liaison with China and BRICS+. For that purpose, we focus on identifying and analyzing cooperation frameworks in strategic sectors for the national and regional development, proposing strategies for a mutually beneficial relationship.
Along with this, we concentrate on analyzing the path of Chinese modernization, looking into how this process has managed to close technological gaps with developed countries.
Based on this, OLAC proposes:
Starting point
OLAC, its mission and objectives arise from a balance about the global context, the status of public policies for the development in the region and the growing relations with China within this framework.
The global context demands cooperation and sustainable development policies
In the current technological revolution, the global economy is digitalized fast, value chains are reconfigured, and geopolitical tensions and environmental challenges are intensified. In this context, the region must address development policies which respond to specific needs and global challenges, balancing development and sustainability, and regional sovereignty and international cooperation.
The region lacks its own agenda of policies for the development
One of the main obstacles in this direction is the lack of a strategic planning which considers the abilities and specific needs for the development, in an agenda of cooperation with other players. The erratic development policies have made it difficult to generate and accumulate local scientific and technological abilities.
Understanding Chinese modernization can enrich our approach
A necessary step to address these challenges is to carry out an analysis of routes, learning processes and limits in the experiences other countries have been through. The experience of Chinese modernization, together with its fast transformation during the last decades, can be a valuable source of resources to enrich the regional debate of public policies and development models.
The role of policies based on STI
Starting with a weak economy based on agriculture and low value-added manufacturing, in four decades, China has succeeded in helping more than 800 million people escape from poverty and it has been consolidated as the world’s second largest economy, at the same time it is competing for the global leadership in research and development of key technologies such as AI, robotics or quantum computing. This transformation has had, among its pillars, an aggressive and planned strategy of development based on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).
Cooperation ties are increasing; it is necessary a long-term agenda
The growing liaison of the region with China, boosted by initiatives such as the Belt and Road and the expansion of BRICS+, presents opportunities and challenges. In order to face them, it is necessary to discuss a regional agenda for the development aimed at connecting with Asia, and mainly China.
The Observatory seeks to generate consumables around the possible regional agendas for this liaison, identifying regional abilities, successful development experiences and cooperation and collaboration opportunities, and promoting dialogue and mutual understanding.