Political convergence and ideology: the case of China–Chile free trade agreement

Purpose Existing literature on China in the Americas emphasizes trade and economic complementarity, often portraying free trade agreements (FTAs) as technocratic decisions. This paper challenges that view, arguing that such explanations overlook political and ideological dimensions in cases such as the Chile-China FTA – China's first bilateral agreement of this sort signed ever. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on declassified documents (1989–2005) and post-structuralist discourse theory (Essex School), the article conceptualizes international practice as the discursive articulation of foreign policies, using intertextual analysis to identify key signifiers and examine the political divergences, convergences and shared ideological understandings underlying the construction of the FTA. Findings The analysis shows that China's WTO aspirations and Chile's open regionalism fostered political convergence around China's market economy status and joint efforts to curb protectionism in the Doha Round. Linking free trade to these convergences reflected a shared ideological understanding that concealed deeper divergences, especially on human rights and Taiwan. Originality/value These findings suggest that prospects for China–Americas dialogue depend on complex, context-specific political frameworks (international practices) and challenge conventional narratives that depict relations as depoliticized, driven solely by economic complementarities, or framed around China as a rising power encroaching on the US. backyard.