Status: Approved
Project Code: L-STATE-PRY-1
| Project Title | China: Shaping Public Opinion through Business Activity |
|---|---|
| Project Summary | Seeking interns with advanced Spanish language skills and some Mandarin skills (primarily reading) with interest in examining how China is seeking to shape public opinion through its business operations overseas. The focus is Paraguay, the only South American country that still recognizes Taiwan. |
| Country | Paraguay |
| Agency | Department of State |
| DoS Office | WHA/BSC |
| Post | N/A |
| Section | N/A |
| Number of Interns | 2 |
We are looking for creative self-starters with an interest in how China is managing its influence in Latin America - specifically, Paraguay. As the only country in South American that still recognizes Taiwan, Paraguay has no formal China presence. Businesses from China often function as de facto representatives of China, whether intentionally or unintentionally. In this project, interns will focus on companies such as Huawei and COFCO, using traditional media, social media, and other online material as sources. Interns will examine areas such as how these companies seek to connect to the local population or culture, corporate social responsibility and/or sponsorship activities, marketing trends, partnerships with Paraguayan businesses and government entities, and linkages between Paraguayan staff or spokespeople and other Paraguayan businesses. This project is linked to a broader VSFS project titled "Tracking Chinese Influence Across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada."
| Skill(s) |
|---|
| Analytical writing |
| Cultural diplomacy |
| Economic analysis |
| Research |
Good Spanish reading comprehension skills are a must. Experience in Latin America is a bonus, but not required.