China’s Dangerous Caribbean Presence

China’s COVID-19 has brought extraordinary danger to the United States, and 2021 may see a different brand of peril.

American Military News reports that “China has been expanding its ties with a number of countries in the Caribbean, increasing its influence right at America’s doorstep.”

Similarly, the New York Times notes that Beijing has increased its burden-laden “loans” to Caribbean nations as part of its aggressive “Belt and Road” campaign. The Times found that the Chinese government invested over $6 billion over 15 years to fund infrastructure projects throughout the Caribbean. Jamaica is a focal point, receiving about $5.1 billion. Since 2005, China has provided over $100 billion in credit to the region. Last year, China announced it would give nearly $35 billion in loans to the region in coming years. And, this year, China promised its investment in the region would hit $250 billion over the next 10 years.

The Congressional Research Service has found that “As the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has increased its engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean over nearly 20 years, U.S. policymakers have raised questions regarding potential implications for U.S. interests in the region. China’s engagement with the region has grown significantly since 2001, particularly in terms of diplomatic and economic ties. This growth reflects China’s global ‘soft power’ efforts and ‘influence operations’ worldwide. A succession of Chinese leaders and other officials have visited the region to court governments. In turn, regional leaders and officials have been frequent visitors to China. The PRC has signed a variety of bilateral partnership agreements with several countries in the region, including ‘strategic partnerships’ with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.”

In 2015, China hosted the first-ever China- Community of Latin American and Caribbean States [CELAC]  summit in Beijing for Latin American and Caribbean nations. A U.S. Congressional report noted that the conference specifically excluded the U.S. and Canada. Since 2005, China has provided over $100 billion in credit to the region. Last year, China announced it would give nearly $35 billion in loans to the region in coming years. China promised its investment in the region would hit $250 billion over the next 10 years.

There is a lot more than mere economics going on. Having access to a region right on the U.S. doorstep is a vastly strategic advantage for China. In addition to direct military purposes, buying the loyalty of comparatively small nations is a goal for Beijing as it seeks to gain friends at the United Nations in its campaign to isolate Taiwan.

 A Geopolitical Intelligence Services Report  reveals that there are Chinese-built container and cruise ship ports on both the Pacific and Atlantic sides of the country.

At a U.S. Congressional Foreign Affairs hearing, it was revealed that Chinese security ties to the region continue to deepen, with the Chinese arms sales to Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Argentina. Reportedly, China has even expanded its arms sales beyond traditional nation-states through providing military-caliber weapons to non-state actors such as the FARC terrorist organization in Colombia and drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. This activity has only served to increase the number of weapons in the hands of paramilitary forces and transnational criminal networks.  “It should be of grave concern to all Americans that the Chinese maintain a military presence in Cuba, specifically Lourdes, Bejucal, and Santiago de Cuba, all of which were former Soviet-era monitoring facilities,” it was emphasized.

In 2019 an official Chinese news outlet stated that The Chinese military stands ready to deepen relations with the militaries of the Caribbean countries and Pacific island countries… to strengthen exchanges and cooperation. Guyana was specifically mentioned as seeking to strengthen ties with Beijing’s military.

Frank Vernuccio serves as editor-in-chief of the New York Analysis of Policy & Government

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