Continuity, counter-reaction and triangulation: China's emergence in Latin America and the co-existence of Spain's lines of foreign action towards the region

Relations between Spain and Latin America have always been a pillar of Spain's international strategy. However, given the unique juncture of China's exponential rise in the Latin American region, what risks does Spain face in Latin America today? Has this new context influenced Spain's foreign policy towards the region? This article sheds some light on these questions, and its conclusion is twofold. On the one hand, it suggests that China's emergence in the region poses a serious challenge for Spain. On the other, it argues that Spain's foreign policy has led to the coexistence of three types of attitudes in response: one that is more continuist, another that capitalises on this new situation and seeks to take advantage of its opportunities, and a final one that is more reactive to the threats that China's rise in Latin America could pose.