China

Despite their controversial track record, Chinese companies continue to win energy contracts in Honduras without transparent processes or real competition, a dynamic that is drawing strong criticism from civil society. This pattern of opaque deals and a history of bad experiences is raising alarms about the risks to the country’s [ … ]

The competition for global technological leadership has become a strategic focus, with China seeking to consolidate its influence in sectors such as 5G networks, artificial intelligence (AI), electronic warfare, and digital control. This expansion, backed by aggressive state policy, raises concerns about its direct implications for security and stability in [ … ]

In a recent report, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) warns about China’s progress in construction, operation, or financing of ports in Latin America and the Caribbean and their more complex array of security risks than previously understood. The study, No Safe Harbor, identifies at least 37 projects [ … ]

A new emergency decree in Peru requiring foreign vessels to have a satellite tracking system has drastically reduced the presence of China’s deep-sea fishing fleet considered the main culprit of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing globally. But the fleet’s logistical operations now appear to be shifting south, raising concerns [ … ]

China is promoting the adoption of open source software in Latin America, whose code is often linked to technological standards defined by the Chinese government. Due to its low cost, this software is being implemented in strategic sectors in several countries, especially within the framework of the Belt and Road [ … ]

China’s global influence has grown more sophisticated, extending beyond mega infrastructure projects. It now advances subtly through less public channels: universities. This strategy is evident in Peru, where academic-technological projects promoted at the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM), in collaboration with Chinese entities, are taking shape. In April, UNMSM [ … ]

Over the past decade, China has expanded its global influence through the Digital Silk Road (DSR), combining technological infrastructure with its geopolitical objectives. Under its military-civil fusion strategy, Beijing exports connectivity and digital platforms, along with capabilities for state surveillance, cyberattacks, and mass collection of public and private data. This [ … ]

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing linked to China’s distant-water fleets has devastated marine resources in West Africa, notably Senegal, causing a cascade of lost livelihoods, food insecurity, and mass displacement. This alarming pattern is now unfolding in South America, threatening economic stability and regional security. In Senegal, where fishing [ … ]

China is expanding its surveillance and repression activities in Latin America, targeting dissidents and minorities. This effort to reinforce the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) repressive influence in the region uses tactics like “forced vacations,” a report from the Madrid-based human rights organization Safeguard Defenders indicates. These forced vacations consist of [ … ]

Brazil’s active engagement with Chinese companies in its telecommunications sector, aimed at advancing digital inclusion and 5G expansion, is prompting warnings about significant national security concerns. These initiatives include ambitious projects like “Norte Conectado,” designed to bring high-speed internet to the Amazon region via sub-river fiber optics, and the implementation [ … ]

Surveillance cameras and facial recognition equipment from China are raising concerns about data security in Brazil. Across Latin America, the increasing presence of Chinese surveillance technology is sparking a debate about national security, data privacy, and the potential for foreign influence. Governments and municipalities, often drawn by competitive pricing and [ … ]