A Dangerous Alliance? The Relationship Between Ecuador and China

The aim of this article is to outline the relationship between Ecuador and China, highlighting its main threats to the development of the Ecuadorian Republic, and in particular how the implementation of the buen vivir economic paradigm which Ecuador is experimenting with may be affected if it does not change the terms of engagement with the Asian giant. The article is structured as follows: in the introduction, we present an overview of the historical framework of the Chinese relationship with Ecuador. There follows an analysis supported by data on the commercial situation between the two countries and its implications for the development of the Latin-American state. In our final remarks, we present the possible routes that Ecuador could follow to secure its path to development, while highlighting possible conditions under which Ecuador could cooperate with China while avoiding a state of dependency.