Ecological Civilization with Latin American Characteristics: Theorization and Conceptual Development

As part of its Latin American section, Saint Pierre—a platform dedicated to geopolitical and economic analysis from a global perspective—presents an interview by Alvaro Pereira, researcher of SPCIS. Within this framework, we spoke with Juan Enrique Serrano, Assistant Professor at the Institute of International Studies of the University of Chile and Coordinator of the Master’s Program in International Strategy and Trade Policy, and Joaquín Sáez, Research Assistant and Coordinator of the project Traditional Civilizations and National Modernization in Chile-China Relations.

The discussion revolved around the core themes of the project “Ecological Civilization with Latin American Characteristics”, which seeks to explore how the innovative experiences of traditional civilizations can contribute to contemporary modernization processes, and what role cooperation between Chile and China plays in this context. The researchers emphasized that dialogues between civilizations are not limited to commercial or diplomatic exchanges but also open the door to alternative ways of understanding sustainable development, integrating ancestral wisdom with contemporary science and technology.

Juan Enrique Serrano

Alvaro Pereira: What is the central purpose of the project Traditional Civilizations and National Modernization in Chile-China Relations?

Juan Serrano: The objective is to broaden the scope of what we understand as development. For a long time, relations between China and Latin America have been explained through the lens of exporting raw materials and importing manufactured goods. However, today we are at a point where that vision is insufficient. What we propose is to highlight that both in China and in Latin America there are civilizational trajectories that have managed to balance innovation, culture, and ecology.

In China, the concept of Ecological Civilization has become a central axis of political and academic discourse, and what is interesting is that this concept resonates strongly with ideas present in Latin America, such as Buen Vivir or Küme Mongen. What we do with this project is precisely to find the bridges between these notions and their application in processes of national modernization, especially in critical areas such as the energy transition and technological innovation.

Joaquín Sáez

Alvaro Pereira: From that perspective, how does the research connect with concrete cooperation between the two countries?

Joaquín Sáez: For us, it was essential that this did not remain only at a theoretical level. The research aims to be useful in understanding and guiding concrete projects. For example, we are analyzing joint experiences in renewable energies, green mining, and scientific cooperation.

A landmark case is Chile’s National Lithium Strategy, which has attracted Chinese companies under the condition of generating added value and meeting environmental requirements. Another example can be seen in academic agreements, such as the Chilean scientific-technological mission to cities like Hefei, Chengdu, and Shanghai, which opens spaces for cooperation in applied research.

Our approach is that, for all this to work, infrastructure or investment is not enough: it is necessary to build intercultural social capital, that is, networks of trust and mutual understanding. This means recognizing cultural differences in how projects are negotiated, implemented, and evaluated. Intercultural communication is not a secondary detail: it is the condition of possibility for cooperation to succeed.

Alvaro Pereira: What is the contribution of the project to the discussion on innovation?

Juan Serrano: Innovation is often associated exclusively with cutting-edge technology or industry. But the truth is that it can also come from traditional knowledge. In China, Daoism and other philosophical currents have, for centuries, promoted a vision of harmony between human beings and nature. In Latin America, indigenous worldviews have developed similar notions of respect for the environment and the balanced use of resources.

Therefore, what we propose is a dialogue of civilizations that allows us to resignify innovation. It is not just about importing Chinese technology or exporting raw materials, but about jointly building new forms of sustainable development, where technology serves life and not the other way around. In this sense, an Ecological Civilization with Latin American characteristics is not a slogan: it is a proposal to rethink modernization in a more balanced, identity-based, and sustainable way.

Alvaro Pereira: And how do you perceive the response of local actors to these ideas?

Joaquín Sáez: What is interesting is that we find resonances at different levels. On the one hand, there are communities in Chile that feel extractive projects have not sufficiently considered their rights or their vision of the territory. And on the other hand, in China there are also community-based experiences that engage with Ecological Civilization from the ground up, resisting a purely top-down model.

We believe that the value of the project is to connect these experiences and give them visibility within a broader framework of international cooperation. In the end, it is about recognizing that development cannot be imposed: it must be built with communities, listening to their demands and learning from their knowledge.

Alvaro Pereira: Finally, what horizon do you expect to open with this research?

Juan Serrano: What we would like is for Chile and China to build a relationship that goes beyond economics and translates into genuine cooperation in ecological innovation. We want to show that modernization does not necessarily mean environmental deterioration or cultural loss; it can be an opportunity to recover traditions and project them into the future.

Specifically, we hope that the results of this research will translate into public policy recommendations, proposals for joint projects, and a conceptual framework that helps better understand the role Latin America can play in the global energy transition.

If we manage to ensure that the concept of an Ecological Civilization with Latin American characteristics has an impact on policies, international cooperation, and investment practices, we will have contributed to opening a different path for development.

The conversation with Juan Serrano and Joaquín Sáez shows that the project Traditional Civilizations and National Modernization in Chile-China Relations seeks not only to produce academic knowledge but also to influence international cooperation in a concrete way.

Integrating ancestral worldviews, generating social capital, and promoting a transformative balance between innovation and sustainability appear as the key elements of a research effort that aims to contribute to the global debate on the future of development.

In times of ecological crisis and energy transition, these dialogues become essential for imagining alternatives. As the researchers emphasize, modernization cannot be understood solely as an economic process: it must also be a cultural and ecological one, where Latin America has much to contribute to the global dialogue with China.