Chinese authorities have been actively expanding their influence in Latin America in recent years, raising concerns in the United States. U.S. experts told a congressional hearing on May 20 that the Latin American region, seeking economic recovery after the epidemic, may welcome China with open arms, and that the United States should take the initiative to build economic ties and be a “helpful neighbor” to counterbalance the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party.
In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has been actively cultivating ties with countries in Latin America, trying to turn strong economic ties into diplomatic and political influence. In addition to investing heavily in infrastructure development, establishing exchanges between officials at all levels, and taking advantage of the rampant epidemic to advance in Latin America under the banner of vaccine diplomacy, the U.S. is increasingly concerned about the rapid expansion of Chinese communist power in the Western Hemisphere.
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), a subcommittee of the U.S. Congress, held a hearing on the 20th to discuss the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in Latin America at various levels, including economy, diplomacy, vaccines, and authoritarianism. This is the first time the Commission has held a comprehensive hearing on the strategic goals of the CCP in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Experts at the hearing said that Latin America has been severely affected by the New Crown epidemic and that this is a vulnerable time for countries in the region to take additional steps to help their economies recover and potentially open the door to Chinese funding, and that the Chinese Communist Party is eager to take advantage of and benefit from the New Crown epidemic.
Margaret Myers, director of the Asia and Latin America Program at Boston University and the nonprofit Dialogue for the Americas, told the hearing that despite concerns in recent months about the quality of Chinese-made vaccines in Latin America and the decline in Chinese sovereign lending to the region in recent years, the post-epidemic era could be a turning point in China’s relations with Latin America. a turning point for China’s relations with Latin America. (Video screenshot)
Margaret Myers, director of the Asia and Latin America program at the Inter-American Dialogue, a U.S. nonprofit organization, told the hearing that despite concerns in recent months about the quality of Chinese-made vaccines in Latin America and the decline in Chinese sovereign lending to the region in recent years, the post-epidemic era could be a turning point in China’s relations with Latin America. , the post-epidemic era could be a turning point in China’s relations with Latin America.
“The targeted expansion of Chinese Communist Party activities over the past year will all cement and deepen China’s ties with Latin America,” she said, adding that “many countries will likely lower their standards to attract more investment after the epidemic, especially from China, as the Communist Party will offer a variety of opportunities. “
In addition, the committee and the experts who attended the hearing were concerned that the CCP is turning its economic influence into a political and diplomatic tool. Commission Chair Carolyn Bartholomew mentioned Beijing’s pressure in Latin America to completely eliminate Taiwan’s diplomatic space. The government of Honduras, a state diplomatic partner of Taiwan, recently stated that it might turn to diplomatic relations with China in order to obtain Chinese vaccines.
“Taiwan’s nine other diplomatic partners in Latin America and the Caribbean are under similar pressure,” she said, “and despite questions about the vaccine’s effectiveness, Beijing is now seeking to use the Chinese vaccine as a bargaining chip to draw in Latin American and Caribbean governments. “
China’s vaccine diplomacy is a new battleground for the U.S.-China rivalry in Latin America (Photo by Radio Free Asia)
The U.S. government has announced that 80 million doses of the New Crown vaccine will be made available to the international community by the end of June. Gayle Smith, the State Department’s coordinating officer for New Crown vaccine, said at a telephone briefing on the 19th that the U.S. has not yet made a final decision, but will consider the most needed and effective distribution method, and the situation in Latin America has been a primary consideration for the U.S. According to the Financial Times, the Biden administration will prioritize the Latin American region, which is under intense pressure from China.
The U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute (United States Army War College Strategic Studies Institute) of Latin American studies professor R. Evan Ellis (R. Evan Ellis), said the U.S. vaccine quality is quite high, should take the opportunity to set their role as an active helper, rather than a blanket criticism of China’s cooperation with Latin American countries, which only stirs resentment among local people and won’t work.
“We should focus on improving transparency and strengthening the rule of law to help strengthen the capacity of Latin American governments to prevent Chinese predatory actions, so the U.S. should be being an eager helper of its neighbors, not just jealous.”
Myers agreed, saying that while many Latin American countries share democratic values with the U.S., when considering whether to promote trade with China, Latin American countries base their decisions on prioritizing economic interests rather than values, so the U.S. cannot rely on security cooperation and shared values alone to maintain partnerships, but needs to achieve counterbalancing Chinese Communist Party (CCP) goals through stronger and more economic ties with the Latin American region. power.
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