Total trade between China and Latin America was up 8 percent this year to $255.5 billion, finds the latest edition of Latin Business Chronicle’s Index of China-Latin America Trade. Chinese exports to the region grew 10.7 percent to $131 billion, while imports from the region were up 5.3 percent to $124.4 billion. Though experiences within specific countries differ, the region as a whole maintains a trade deficit with the Asian giant, and trade is largely dominated by the export of raw materials to China and the import of Chinese manufactured goods.

In the one year since the implementation of the US-Colombia free trade agreement, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $28.5 billion – 5 percent more than the year before – and opened numerous opportunities for small and medium enterprises in both countries. But the fact that will grab headlines on the one-year anniversary is that while the value of U.S. exports to Colombia did grow in the past year (up 20 percent between May and March), the value of Colombian exports to the United States actually declined (down 13 percent in the same period). But this is to ignore the wider picture say officials from the United States Trade Representative and the Colombian Ministry of Commerce.

Over the past three years Colombia has become the hotspot for pension savings in Latin America. Colombian Porvenir grew at an 18 percent compound annual rate from 2009 to 2011. That is the biggest increase among the top 15 funds, which manage 61 percent of the assets held by the 100 funds listed in this year´s Latin Business Chronicle ranking.

More than $31.6 billion in 20 major infrastructure bids in Latin America are listed in the new Latin Business Chronicle Latin American Infrastructure Guide. There are opportunities in railway projects, pipelines, ports, airports and roads among others.

Choosing the top 30 businesswomen in Latin America is no easy task. Female CEOs are no longer a rarity, and their presence should come as no surprise to anyone these days. “Men and women are now competing on a stage where gender is becoming less important by the day. Ability, skills and management styles make no difference whether it’s a man or a woman”, said Gabriela Castro, president of human resources firm Korn Ferry for the Andean region.