China has been seeking to finance or build large infrastructure projects in Argentina to expand its influence in South America. A port, a nuclear power plant, a power station, and a radio telescope are among the projects announced. For experts, however, these works are cause for concern. “Being ‘partners’ with [ … ]
China


Chinese State-owned Zijin Mining Under International Scrutiny
In a world where business activities are under constant global scrutiny, Zijin Mining, a Chinese state-owned company specializing in gold and lithium mining, stands out as a symbol of persistent concerns about its impact and operating practices in Latin America and beyond, Radio FM Bolivia reported. Its track record is [ … ]

China-Cuba Alliance Facilitates Communist Advance in Latin America
Cuba and China have formed a post-Cold War alliance: Cuba supports Chinese interests in Latin America to cover its economic shortfall, while satisfying Beijing’s strategic needs for military intelligence and biotechnology, the report Security Implications of the China-Cuba Alliance of think tank Global Americans indicates. “Cuba depends on foreign assistance [ … ]

China and Russia Disrupt the World with Computer Viruses
In its latest Internet Security Report, for the first quarter of 2023, U.S. cybersecurity company WatchGuard Technologies, indicated that 75 percent of the new threats of its top 10 list of malwares have strong ties to Russia or China. “These hacker groups target unsuspecting users and unprotected devices. In many [ … ]

Ortega Hands Out Mines to China in Nicaragua’s Indigenous Territory
The Daniel Ortega-Rosario Murillo regime handed out Chinese company Zhong Fu Development two mining concessions to exploit some 15,400 hectares in Nicaragua’s northern Caribbean coast, negatively impacting the environment and indigenous communities, the alliance of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples of Nicaragua (INANA-AIP) indicated in a statement. The indigenous group denounced [ … ]

Argentina’s Nuclear Power Project with China Raises Concerns
The project for the construction of Atucha III, Argentina’s fourth nuclear power plant, which seeks financing from China, is raising concerns due to the Asian country’s growing influence. According to experts, the proposal to finance the plant with Chinese capital could leave Argentina in a vulnerable economic situation. “China operates [ … ]

NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM Stand with Regional Partners to Combat Rising Chinese Influence
Much like footprints left on the white sand beaches of the Caribbean, the imprints made by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) can be found all over the region. But unlike the tracks of beachgoers, the Chinese presence is not so easily swept away. By using tools ranging from government [ … ]

Uruguay: Message in a Bottle Highlights Forced Labor in Chinese Fishing Fleet
In late June, a woman walking along a beach in Maldonado, Uruguay, found a bottle with a message written in some Asian language. Because the message ended with “SOS,” the woman understood that it was a call for help and took the bottle to the Piriápolis Prefecture, which launched an [ … ]

Fishing Activities of Chinese Fleet in South Atlantic Increases Eightfold
The fishing effort (fishing hours per vessel in a given period) of the Chinese fleet in the South Atlantic has increased eightfold in the last 10 years. Such was one of the findings of Argentine environmental organization Círculo de Políticas Ambientales (CPA) based on satellite data from the Global Fishing [ … ]

China Shies Away from Coalition Against Synthetic Drugs
The fight against the synthetic drugs that are wreaking havoc around the world is entering a new chapter. Some 90 countries are now part of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats. China plays a leading role in the sale of precursors used in the commercial manufacture of these [ … ]

China’s ‘Long Game’ Influence Campaign in Latin America
U.S.-based cybersecurity firm Nisos uncovered the existence of a network of pro-China accounts targeting Latin American audiences, designed to bolster the country’s image and status, Time magazine reported in mid-July. This operation is part of the continued expansion of Chinese influence in the region, to consolidate its position as the [ … ]

Chinese Investments in Brazil Create Unfair Competition
Brazil’s relationship with China and some of the trade agreements recently signed for Chinese companies to invest in the South American nation have set off alarm bells in industrial sectors, warning of unfair competition that harms the local market. In mid-April, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva traveled to [ … ]