Building a “Digital Silk Road” between China and Spanish-speaking American countries: Current Situation, Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

China’s efforts to build a “Digital Silk Road” with Spanish-speaking American countries have achieved remarkable results, which are mainly manifested in the initial completion of the Asia-Latin America Trade Corridor, the continuous expansion of 5G network coverage, and the rapid development of e-commerce platforms. However, China and Spanish-speaking American countries are still facing multiple obstacles in building the “Digital Silk Road”, including backward digital infrastructure, insufficient digital talents, weak internal economic development, and interference from external forces. Looking to the future, China and Spanish-speaking American countries should seize the strategic opportunity of the “Five Major Projects”, make full use of multilateral mechanisms such as the China-CELAC Forum, and deepen the cooperation in the digital economy under the guidance of the principles of equality, mutual benefit and common development with Asia-Latin America Trade Corridor as a link. This will not only promote the realization of digital transformation and sustainable development of Spanish-speaking American countries, but also inject a new era of connotation into the construction of the China-LAC Community with a Shared Future.