在2017年恢复增长的基础上，2018年拉美和加勒比地区经济有望继续维持复苏态势，经济增长率预计为1.3%。从内部来看，投资活动不断走强带动地区内需求回升；从外部来看，大宗商品价格上涨将拉动拉美地区对外出口，改善拉美地区外部需求。不过，政治局势不确定性上升、金融市场持续动荡、贸易保护主义不断升级等为拉美地区经济复苏带来持续挑战。作为中国和美国的重要贸易伙伴，中美贸易摩擦不断升级虽然在短期内可能促进拉美地区对这两个国家的出口，但也会通过恶化全球经济环境、加剧大宗商品价格波动而给拉美经济带来负面冲击。
Based on the recovery in 2017，GDP growth in Latin American and the Caribbean is expected to continue in 2018，with an economic growth rate of 1.3%. From the internal perspective，investment activity continues to strengthen and domestic demand rebounds. From the external perspective，rising commodity prices will boost Latin American exports and improve its external demand. However，rising political uncertainty，continued turmoil in financial markets，and escalating trade protectionism have become major challenges affecting the Latin America economic recovery. The escalating trade frictions between China and the United States，the two important trading partner of the region，might promote the export of Latin America to these two countries in the short term，but shall have a negative impact on the Latin American economy by worsening the global economic environment and exacerbating commodity price volatility.
