This article relates the practices and discourses of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Latin America with its national identity. To this end, it is assumed that the traditional theoretical models that explain the role of the actors are insufficient to analyze the China-Taiwan rivalry that affects the models and practices of the ODA. Therefore, we assume a constructivist approach that affirms identity as a key element to understand the behavior of States in the international arena. Thus, the Taiwanese ODA in Latin America is analyzed to understand the role that identity plays in this process. In this way, a relatively unexplored approach is used to understand the distinctive features of Taiwan’s cooperation as opposed to China’s. Finally, it is concluded that identity is fundamental to understand the dynamics of continuity and change within Taiwan’s ODA regime in Latin America under the Chinese shadow.