The contemporary international order is undergoing a significant period of transition. The principal axes of global commerce and political influence are gradually, yet steadily, shifting from the North Atlantic toward the Asia–Pacific region, placing China at the epicenter of a profound systemic transformation. As the Asian giant expands its global presence, it has revived hopes of fostering relationships grounded in solidarity and mutual benefit among countries of the Global South, thereby renewing interest in South-South cooperation (SSC) across Latin America. In the early twenty-first century, several Latin American nations reassessed their foreign policy orientations, seeking to expand their international autonomy and re-evaluate their economic relations with the traditional hegemon—the United States.