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In less than two decades, the new nature of Chinese investment in Brazil has undergone a profound transformation. Moving beyond the footprints of state-owned giants, a new wave of smaller Chinese companies is quietly advancing across the country. This trend represents a strategic shift toward lower-value, more diversified investments across a wide array of sectors, according to data released in…
The recent joint scientific expedition between China and Chile in the Atacama Trench has ignited a rigorous international debate. The participation of the oceanographic research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao, a platform outfitted with state-of-the-art deep-sea technology, has drawn intense scrutiny toward the possible strategic implications of the mission, particularly regarding the dual use nature of the data being harvested.…
The illicit extraction of gold in the Amazon has found a formidable catalyst in surging global demand, increasingly orchestrated by Chinese interests through an elusive medium: gold-bearing sands. According to investigative media alliance Amazon Underworld, Chinese trading syndicates have woven a sophisticated web that allows clandestinely mined gold across South America to be laundered into the formal economy. This process…
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing has transcended mere environmental concerns to become a structural challenge that directly threatens the maritime security and national sovereignty of South American nations. The relentless expansion of the Chinese distant-water fishing fleet across the Pacific and South Atlantic has forced coastal states to step up their surveillance and response capabilities. This defense posture is…
China has modified its approach in Latin America, adopting a less visible but more structural strategy of influence. This new direction focuses on specific investments in strategic sectors such as telecommunications, energy, and technology. This change not only redefines traditional methods of external influence but also raises profound questions about state autonomy and national security across the region. Although the…
China has emerged as a critical partner for Ecuador’s main criminal organizations in the illicit exploitation of natural resources, establishing a partnership that threatens not only the environment but also the security of the nation and the region. These Ecuadorian designated terrorist groups, most notably Los Lobos and Los Choneros, have established sophisticated logistics corridors where the outbound transport of…
In southern Venezuela, strategic minerals known as “black sands”— including coltan, niobium, and tin — are being plundered to feed supply chains destined for China. This process is orchestrated through a sophisticated scheme of illicit extraction and cross-border laundering that effectively weaponizes Venezuela’s resource wealth for China’s strategic gain. According to an investigation by digital media outlet Armando.info, these minerals…
China has strengthened its influence in Latin America by employing political pressure mechanisms that complement its expanding economic footprint. A recent development in Panama provides a clear illustration of how Beijing intervenes in domestic decision-making processes to safeguard its geopolitical interests. According to Central American investigative news site Expediente Público, Panamanian legislators were subjected to pressure intended to force the…
This article originally appeared in the National Defense University Press on January 9, 2026. In August 2022, USCGC James took evasive action to avoid a Chinese-flagged vessel that was attempting to ram the cutter in the Pacific Ocean.1 While most confrontations between the United States and China center around Taiwan or the South China Sea, this event took place off…
In recent years, Latin America has experienced rapid urban modernization through smart city projects that integrate video surveillance, artificial intelligence (AI), and automated management of public services. Although these initiatives promise greater efficiency and security, they have created a troubling dependence on technological infrastructure originating outside the Western Hemisphere, especially from state-linked entities like China, posing significant geopolitical challenges, facilitating…
Marine conservation experts are warning that recent proposals from Chinese fishing authorities for the “sustainable management of squid fishing” in the South Atlantic have no practical effect. At the “International Symposium on Squid Conservation and Management,” held in July 2025 at Shanghai Ocean University, an official from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture’s Fisheries Bureau stated that China maintained a “zero…
Originally conducted in mid-2025, the following conversation offers a timely look at the structural shifts in hemispheric relations that continue to define the current landscape. As China’s presence in Latin America has expanded, so too have the tools it uses to entrench influence beyond traditional diplomacy and investment. In the first part of this exclusive interview with Diálogo, Eric Farnsworth, partner…
