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the "Five Principles" for Latin America mirror the "Five Links" for One Belt, One Road, despite official separation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Brazilian President Michel Temer during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017 Chelsea jersey. Brazilian President Michel Temer is visiting China as his...

For at least a decade Lille OSC, soccer has played a role in China's diplomatic relations with Latin America. Press conferences frequently refer to the sport as an area to increase cooperation and both of China's policy papers, which outline the country's official stance in the region, point to sports as a means of exchange, albeit in different ways.

If "Ping-Pong diplomacy" smoothed out bumpy relations between China and the United States in the 1970s, soccer diplomacy may be China's key to Latin America now Ajax Soccer Uniforms.

In early May, a new Confucius Institute arrived in Uruguay’s capital, at the University of Montevideo. Confucius Institutes, which many argue are political bodies as well cheap Real Madrid Soccer Jerseys as education institutes, carry a high profile. But in the back-and-forth diplomatic visits, speeches, and press conferences between the two countries in the months leading up, soccer took center stage.

In September 2017, Juventus discount jersey China and Brazil penned a series of cooperative agreements focused on Brazil’s energy sector. Among the announcements? Hydro-power, nuclear energy, and soccer.


And in late 2017, when the Chinese government sought to expand the shipping operations at a Colombian port, it also hosted the Colombian national team in what the South China Morning Post called a France Rugby “glamor friendly."

Sports is, of course, a longstanding diplomatic tool. Ping Pong diplomacy once made communication possible when there was little to be agreed upon between China and the United States. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, a combined women's hockey team represented a unified Korea for the first time. But in Latin America, soccer is an increasingly frequent focus in an already busy dialogue. The region has no lack of trade or investment. When there’s plenty to discuss, why talk about soccer AC Milan?


China's President Xi Jinping, second from left, talks with Uruguay's president Jose Mujica, second from right, during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday, May 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Jason Lee, Pool)Chelsea Soccer Shirts online

Margaret Myers, the Program Director of Latin America and the World at The Inter-American Dialogue, says these soccer references are cosmetic, but ultimately they can offer insight into policy AC Milan Soccer Jerseys.

“In anticipation of high-level visits, both sides are under pressure to put together a batch of impressive announcements,” Myers said over a phone call. “Sometimes this sports-type diplomacy, or ‘sports-related cooperation’, is thrown in there. And in some situations, it can be the dressing to more controversial announcements Philipp Plein Sale.”

Gift policy

From the mid-2000s until around 2013, soccer stadiums were common gifts from China to Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Gifts, though, can be tricky in politics. Infrastructure investment requires research, new schools can favor certain politicians (probably not those in power), new police stations may endorse rugby league shop corruption and roadwork requires groundwork, which can go on for years. By comparison, sporting facilities are simple, high-visibility contributions.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented its first policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean in 2008, naming sports as a means of cultural exchange between authorities, Olympic committees, and sports associations. By that time, stadiums were already being built. Most often, the stadiums arrived as gifts in countries that had just severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan Olympique Marseille Soccer Jerseys.

But this was before a global discourse about "white elephants"--expensive stadiums or event structures that fall into disrepair or require costly upkeep. "The Monster's Cave" in Costa Rica drew the harshest criticism, according to Myers. The $100 million stadium was built by shipped-in Chinese workers during a local unemployment crisis and came with no funding for upkeep Lille OSC, and proved a further economic burden.

“There was a bit of a hold on that after Costa Rica, but we may see more of it in the coming years,” said Myers.


CHONGQING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 14: Feng Xiaoting (L) of China in action against Carlos Bacca (R) of Colombia during International Friendly Football Match between China and Colombia at the Chongqing Olympic Sports Center on November 14, 2017 in...

Belt, road, and ball River Plate Jersey

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' second policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean was published in 2016. The authors again planted a line on sports cooperation, but this times as a means to "bring the hearts of our peoples closer." And the gifts had become investments.

At the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics in Brazil, Yingli Solar, which is state-backed as of at least 2016, and possibly since 2014, sponsored the event. But these investments are nominally separate from the One Belt, One Road Initiative, China's global infrastructure investment project, with a focus on expanding trade-ways SL Benfica .

“Looking at all the language used by Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi and others in Latin America, Latin America is not officially part of the belt and road, yet,” Myers said. She points to the China-CELAC Forum, a meeting of delegates from the Latin American and Caribbean community with Chinese diplomats that was held in January, where a connection between the One Belt, One Road Initiative and China's Latin America stance stood out.


(Front seated L-R) Cuban Minister Monterrey jersey of Foreign Trade Rodrigo Malmierca, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez Sanz, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chinese Director of National Development and Reform...

The Beijing delegates named "Five Principles" for China's intentions in the region, including things like "infrastructure development," "financial integration," and "people-to-people connectivity." The wording is familiar, as the One Belt, One Road Initiative runs on a similar outline. And the "Five Principles" for Latin America mirror the SL Benfica "Five Links" for One Belt, One Road, despite official separation.

“Under the auspices of this broader 'people-to-people connectivity'–and I do think they believe very strongly in this–there is an effort to really improve China’s diplomatic standing and image globally," Myers said. "And is a very neutral and generally positive way to engage a large segment of the population in Latin America Pachuca, or Africa, you name it. Soccer is popular globally.”

And if the ball keeps rolling, Corinthians it could be the vehicle that carries One Belt, One Road to the Americas.