Could Macau Be the Bridge for China-Latin America Investments?

Erik Bethel, Managing Partner of SinoLatin Capital addressed participants at the “China Latin America and Caribbean Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum” in Macau

MACAU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Erik Bethel, Managing Partner of SinoLatin Capital, the premier investment platform between China and Latin America, spoke at the first annual China Latin America and Caribbean Forum on Economic and Technical Cooperation in Macau on June 28, 2011.

“For Latin American companies it is not enough to come to China once a year, and have a few meetings. You need continuous follow up. You need to have physical presence in the country, understand its culture and its people, and to develop meaningful business relationships”

The forum attracted around 300 representatives from China, Latin America and the Caribbean. The participants consisted of Chinese business leaders, Latin American ambassadors, Chinese government officials, and Macau local authorities. The forum was coordinated in an effort to boost trade ties between China and Latin America. Macau was chosen for the conference because its 400-year association with Portugal makes it a natural bridge between China and Latin America.

Among other things, Mr. Bethel commented on the China – Brazil linkages. “Growth in China is critical to Brazil’s economy. Since the year 2000, trade between Brazil and China jumped from US$1.1 billion to US$36.1 billion. And this year China surpassed the United States to become Brazil’s largest investor,” he said.

As a leader in building and forging the China-Latin America economic relationship, SinoLatin Capital has been one of the only firms in the world doing M&A advisory with real-world experience on the different macro and micro economic trends that are at the very basis of discussions at this forum. Mr. Bethel had this piece of advice for Chinese companies, “Investing in Latin America can be daunting if you are entering the market on your own. You need serious local partners in Latin America, and this requires that you spend a lot of time in the region developing the right relationships,” he said.

Mr. Bethel further noted that: “For Latin American companies it is not enough to come to China once a year, and have a few meetings. You need continuous follow up. You need to have physical presence in the country, understand its culture and its people, and to develop meaningful business relationships,” he added.

About SinoLatin Capital

SinoLatin Capital is the premier investment platform between China and Latin America. It is a financial advisory and private equity firm that creates value for clients and investors while encouraging sustainable economic development in both regions. Headquartered in Shanghai's financial district and with offices in New York and Lima, Peru, SinoLatin Capital is the first merchant-banking firm focused exclusively on cross border transactions between China and Latin America.