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 [ … ]
China
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 [ … ]
China Shows Interest in Transoceanic Rail Project in Honduras
China is showing interest in investing in the construction of a transoceanic train rail that will bridge the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Honduras. The proposed $20 billion train rail project, with an estimated 15-year construction timeline, is part of a broader initiative of trade and investment between both countries. [ … ]
China and Cuba’s Plan for Military Base Threatens the Region
China and Cuba are in advanced negotiations for the construction of a joint military training facility, an infrastructure that would facilitate the presence of Chinese troops in Cuba on a permanent basis. A base for these purposes would be in addition to the spy bases that China allegedly has on [ … ]
China’s Chancay Port Runs into Problems
The recent problems of China’s mega-port project in Chancay, Peru, renewed concerns about Chinese companies’ shoddy workmanship as well as China’s true motives behind its strong participation in what is envisioned as a major trading hub in the region. In mid-May, following a landslide at one of the port’s tunnel [ … ]
China Refuses to Back Down in Port Plan in Argentina
In early June, Argentine Governor of Tierra del Fuego Gustavo Melella revived an old controversy concerning a deal with a Chinese company to build a multipurpose port in Rio Grande. The controversy was reignited when Melella presented the memorandum of understanding he had signed with Shaanxi Chemical Industry Group to [ … ]