THE BRAZIL-CHINA RELATIONS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF DEPENDENCY THEORY

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine the relations between Brazil and China using the analytical framework of “dependency theory” developed by Brazilian and Chilean authors during the 1960s and 1970s. Our main proposition is that although these relations are not symmetrical due to existing technological and economic disparities between the countries, they are far from being characterized by domination and subordination. China does not impose politically and financially non-negotiable conditions on its trade relations with Brazil, nor does it enforce policy impositions on the Brazilian government. In our methodology, we employ a systematic analysis of evidence regarding the trade relations between the two countries in the 21st century, along with a review of secondary literature. The findings indicate that the identification of economic asymmetries alone is insufficient to determine political dependency between the two nations. We conclude the text by providing some recommendations for establishing appropriate relations between Brazil and China.