"Legion" has some thoughts on China's influence in the Caribbean.
With little fanfare or notice, China's influence in the Caribbean is growing fast. In a way it's odd because there aren't many resources to export from the area. Strategically it would be vital should any serious relations materialize between USA and China.
A recent visit by Chairman Xi highlighted China's ambitions for establishing a major presence just a few miles of our shores.
1. Pledged $600m for Belt & Road
Initiative in Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, Antigua, Dominica and Dominican Repubic. (Road, rail & sea lanes)
2. $3B for the Freeport Deep Water Container Port.
3. $2.5B for Bahamas tourist sector. Most notable is Baha Mar Resort and Casino.
4. $700M for highway linking north and south coasts of Jamaica. As payment Jamaica gave them a 50 year lease on 1200 acres along side the highway. Very valuable!
5. $600M to expand electric grid in Dominican Republic.
6. $3B pledged to all Caribbean nations favorable to China. This is to be used for roads, parks, hospitals etc. Also gives China a strategic political foothold in the Caribbean.
Indications are that numerous other pledges include government loans, grants and foreign investments. I don't doubt that they're aware of our growing socialist leanings, such as open borders policies that would give them free access to America.
Very interesting. After focusing on Legion’s bullet points curiosity came into play and jumped over to culling info about current Panama Canal matters. That vital conduit of global commerce and security that was given away by Jimmy Carter is linked in no small way to China’s strategy in the Caribbean.
Let’s play a guessing game:
What country not only operates and even owns ports on both sides of the Canal and along the waterway?
What country is vested in and essentially controlling the alternate canal through Nicaragua?
What country is behind a new canal rail link in Columbia?
These are but a few examples of the well-planned and long-term ventures by the sleeping dragon while Occidentals sleep.
Posted by: Manx | June 09, 2019 at 09:54 AM
China shows what capitalism can accomplish if unencumbered by a divisive, quarreling and inept bunch of selfish politicians such as we have in our Congress. They have a strategy, they keep their eyes on the goal in the distant future and they don't deviate from it. Our politicians only think as far ahead as the next election, which makes for very short term planning. More like tactics without strategy. Beware the Oriental mind, it is planning YOUR future!
Posted by: Rook | June 09, 2019 at 10:16 AM
OOPS- Colombia not Columbia. And I won't weasel out and blame spellcheck......
Posted by: Manx | June 09, 2019 at 12:48 PM
You're right Manx, the Panama Canal is the gateway to the Caribbean for the ChiComs. They should issue a stamp with Carter's picture on it.
Posted by: Legion | June 09, 2019 at 05:51 PM
China has also managed a near monopoly on rare earth minerals that are essential to the development and manufacture of high technology products. They have a stranglehold on our ability to produce future weapons systems, guidance systems, communications systems, etc. The Defense Dept. is working furiously to find a way of extracting these rarefied minerals from other sources, such as sea water. In terms of long range strategy, this equates to a panic. The Chinese are very definitely planning OUR future!
Posted by: Gunny | June 10, 2019 at 09:37 AM