Western media tends to analyze the phrase "Socialism with Chinese characteristics" and its development manifestations along a continuum of capitalism, authoritarian or state to liberal, rather than analyzing the phenomenon and its parts from a socialist-communist model. A myopic analytical perspective fails to capture potentially new forms emanating from the scientific socialist prism and their local-to-global impact. This paper examines the term socialism within distinct historical contexts and the term's associated semantic shifts to situate it within the contemporary Chinese context and practice, particularly related to foreign policy. The conditions associated with hegemonic shift or dilution are also examined in relationship to China's policies and presence in Latin America.