Interest Groups and Legislators’ Strategic Rhetoric Towards China During the Ratification of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in Latin America

This article analyses the speeches of legislators and the interventions of interest groups during the ratification procedures of the Free Trade Agreements signed by Chile, Costa Rica, and Ecuador with China. Our descriptive results suggest a focus on economic issues at the expense of human rights and democracy. Additionally, the rhetorical strategies employed by both lobbies and politicians reinforce the idea of non-alignment or strategic autonomy in the context of bilateral relations with China. Finally, legislators in the three countries are slightly more likely to adopt protectionist stances than lobbies. Overall, it appears that politicians and lobbies in Latin America adopt a pragmatic approach to fostering economic cooperation with China.