Abstract: This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book an international colloquium organized at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in November 2018 by several ULB’s research centres: ULB Center for East Asian Studies (EASt), Recherche et études en relations internationales (REPI), Centre d'étude de la vie politique (CEVIPOL) and Centre interdisciplinaire d’étude des Ameriques (AmericaS). It deals with issues affecting the whole Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region or important sub-areas of this space. Liu Jianhua opens this part by looking at the opportunities and challenges faced by the BRI in Latin America from a Chinese perspective. The book examines Latin America’s current socioeconomic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), arguing in favour of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region. It explores the nature of the “South-South” cooperation that Beijing is promoting in its relations with Mercosur countries.