The New Silk Road in Science: China's Science Diplomacy in the Americas

As China continues to increase its influence in the Americas, one area that deserves particular attention is science and technology. While it is sometimes considered outside the scope of traditional diplomacy, science and technology are increasingly important for economic development and encompass a large range of sectors that are critical to the region's growth. These include defense, the green energy transition, and healthcare. Join Leland Lazarus as he sits down with Adam Ratzlaff about China's New Silk Road of Science in the Americas. Adam Ratzlaff is a PhD candidate in International Relations at Florida International University and the Deputy Director of Global Americans, a DC-based think tank on Hemispheric affairs. Prior to coming to FIU, Ratzlaff conducted political and economic analysis for organizations including the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and Southern Pulse Correspondents. His research interests include U.S.-Latin American foreign policy, Sino-Latin American foreign policy, Pan-American cooperation, the defense of democracy in the Americas, fiscal policy, and economic and social development in Latin America. He has published extensively on these topics in popular venues including Diplomatic Courier, The National Interest, and Charged Affairs among others. Ratzlaff’s dissertation examines how the Organization of American States (OAS) responds to and shapes the evolving threats to democracy in the Americas. He holds a MA from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies (University of Denver) as well as a BA from Tulane University where he triple-majored in International Relations, Economics, and Latin American Studies.