China’s global expansion of port infrastructure is widely regarded as part of a broader strategy to expand geopolitical influence, secure access to strategic supply chains, and strengthen its long-term positioning. According to the report, Anchoring Global Ambitions, published by AidData in partnership with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Beijing has spent the last two decades building an extensive network of ports and logistics corridors that increasingly intersect with strategic resources, critical maritime routes, and key infrastructure hubs around the world. Within this network, Latin America is becoming an increasingly important node.
Beyond facilitating trade, these investments may also provide China with greater access to strategic logistics data, increased influence over maritime chokepoints, and expanded operational leverage during periods of crisis or geopolitical tension. Analysts warn that the integration of Chinese companies into the operation, financing, and modernization of critical port infrastructure could increase regional dependence on external actors for the management of key supply chains and trade corridors.
Between 2000 and 2025, China invested some $24 billion in the development and modernization of port infrastructure across 168 ports in nearly 90 countries, according to the AidData report published in March 2026. The initiative includes not only the construction and expansion of terminals, but also more than 360 related projects involving logistics systems, cranes, scanners, and other port technologies supplied by Chinese companies, deepening Beijing’s role in the operation of strategic maritime infrastructure.
Juan Belikow, a political scientist and specialist in security and organized crime at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, told Diálogo that China’s port expansion reflects a long-term strategy aimed at establishing interconnected global logistics hubs.
“They are setting up a series of nodes around the world through which international trade will have to pass,” Belikow said, highlighting the concentration of trade flows in these corridors.
Latin America: A strategic hub in China’s logistics network
Latin America has become an area of growing strategic importance with China’s port expansion strategy. According to data from AidData’s CPORTS 2.0 and CFTM 2.0, at least seven ports in the region are located within 500 kilometers of Chinese-financed mining operations. These include ports in Chancay, Peru; Guayaquil, Posorja, and Bolívar in Ecuador; Buenaventura in Colombia; and a port in Guyana.
The proximity between these Chinese-backed ports and extractive projects highlight the growing integration between logistics infrastructure and natural resource supply chains. In Peru, for example, the port of Chancay is located near major mining operations such as Toromocho and Raura, strengthening China’s access to strategic minerals and export corridors critical to global supply chains.
Brazil has also emerged as an important hub within this network. Between 2009 and 2023, the country received some $505 million in Chinese investment related to port infrastructure projects. Analysts warn that this growing footprint has implications that extend beyond commerce, particularly regarding strategic logistic access, supply chain influence, and long-term dependence on infrastructure operated or financed by Chinese entities.
Naval activity and dual-use concerns
Concerns surrounding China’s global port investments are not limited to commercial activity. According to the AidData report, 31.2 percent of Chinese funded port projects worldwide recorded some form of Chinese naval activity between 2000 and 2025, including military ship visits, exercises, and official engagements. The percentage rises to 41.5 percent at port facilities where Chinese operators hold direct ownership stakes, reinforcing concerns among analysts about the dual-use nature of these projects.
One recent example is the Port of Corinto in Nicaragua. In July 2025, Nicaragua approved some $128 million in Chinese financing to modernize the port. Four months later, the Chinese naval hospital Silk Road Ark docked at Corinto, marking the first known visit by a Chinese military vessel to the country.
For analysts, cases like Corinto illustrates how commercial infrastructure projects may also support broader strategic objectives by expanding China’s access, presence, and influence in critical maritime regions.
CSIS warned in its report No Safe Harbor that China’s growing involvement in strategic ports could provide Beijing with access to sensitive logistics information and increase its ability to influence operations at key maritime hubs, particularly during crisis scenarios. The report also notes that Chinese companies operating ports abroad may create opportunities for intelligence collection, logistical support, and expanded strategic access.
Sovereignty and challenges for the region
China’s growing presence in strategic infrastructure is also raising concerns about sovereignty and operational dependence throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Investigative outlet Expediente Público warned that increasing reliance on Chinese-operated or Chinese-financed infrastructure could gradually limit countries’ ability to independently manage strategic logistics systems and supply chains. Analysts note that as Chinese companies become more deeply integrated into port operations, governments may face increasing difficulty maintaining full control over critical maritime infrastructure.
Belikow emphasized that ports are not merely commercial facilities, but strategic nodes capable of shaping trade flows and influencing national decision-making. “Ports are bottlenecks of international trade, allowing China not only to expand its presence but also to observe the behavior of other actors at these key points,” Belikow said.
According to Belikow, China’s financing model also reflects a long-term strategic approach that differs significantly from the shorter political and economic cycles often seen in the region. “Our leaders think from now until the next election,” he said. “China does not.”
A strategic response
As China expands its global infrastructure footprint, analysts argue that countries in Latin America will increasingly need to evaluate the long-term strategic implications associated with foreign control or influence over critical logistics infrastructure.
The report Anchoring Global Ambitions recommends that governments strengthen long-term infrastructure planning, diversify financing options through partnerships with trusted allies, and improve coordination mechanism for evaluating strategic investments.
The report also highlights the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to ensure greater oversight and resilience across critical logistics networks.
“Managing these hubs not only allows for influencing trade but also for anticipating trends and guiding decisions,” concluded Belikow, warning that, although these investments may seem attractive in the short term, “they are ceding control.” This process, according to the expert, “becomes entrenched over time and constrains states’ ability to ensure their sovereignty over key infrastructure.”
