While China has ramped up its economic ties with nations across the region over the past two decades, it is the country's military expansion in the southern hemisphere that has captured Washington's attention.
Florida Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar recently warned lawmakers that Argentina, Venezuela, and Bolivia are allowing China to gain a military foothold in Latin America. Speaking at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Salazar cited China's sales of military equipment and arms to the region over the past decade, as well as reports of a possible Chinese fighter jet factory in Argentina.
March 13, 2023
"[Chinese President] Xi Jinping has been to Latin America more times than President Obama, Trump and Biden combined in the last 10 years," Salazar told lawmakers. "The Chinese are not here for trade. They're here for war."
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Salazar also raised concerns over a Deep Space Station in Argentina's Patagonia desert, which she claimed was the size of "400 football fields." She suggested that China use the station to monitor U.S. space activity and be an intelligence collector, given that Argentina cannot access the facility. The Argentine Ambassador to the U.S., Jorge Arguello, rejected Salazar’s claims as false and absurd.
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However, Juan Cruz, former National Security Council senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs, told Fox News Digital that the U.S. has serious concerns about the space station. "We have no clue what takes place there, and neither do the Argentinians. We believe that [China’s] using that as a mechanism to monitor our space activity and otherwise be a collector of intelligence," Cruz said.
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China's involvement in Latin America extends beyond its military interests. It has a "physical presence" in 25 out of 31 Latin American countries, and nearly 30% of its global lending goes to Latin America, according to Salazar’s office. Trade between China and Latin America also grew 26-fold from 2000-2020, reaching $315 billion, according to the World Economic Forum. This growth is expected to continue, reaching more than $700 billion a year by 2035.
According to Cruz, China's investment in Latin America started with small local projects in the late 1990s. By the early 2000s, China had ramped up its investments in places like the Caribbean, where former colonial powers were no longer expending as many of their resources. This left a "vacuum" that China stepped in and filled, solidifying itself as a top international player in Latin America.
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Under China's Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese companies have not been deterred by the same hurdles that American businesses face in Latin America. They have chosen to invest in projects that do not show obvious or even immediate gains. This buys China favor in the region and opens it up to a certain amount of control.
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As Cruz explained, investing in public infrastructure and technology development not only buys China favor in the region but also gives China bargaining chips. By controlling infrastructure such as water, electric, and internet facilities, China gains leverage over these countries.
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China's growing influence in Latin America has security officials concerned about the number of fronts Beijing is inserting itself into, including the acquisition of natural resources, 5G development, space security, and significant geopolitical hot topics like the security of Taiwan. Cruz stated that it is becoming near impossible to counter China in every sector they are involved in, as they have opened "10 fronts" against the U.S.
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The U.S. and other international defense officials have long warned of the intelligence that China could be collecting through its Huawei infrastructure and the threat this poses to international security. With China's growing influence in Latin America, Cruz warns that China's ability to control public infrastructure in these countries also poses a severe threat to international security.
"The Chinese playbook is not just one. They have tool after tool after tool that they’re employing," Cruz said. "They’ve opened 10 fronts against us. Do we fight on all 10 fronts? Can it be done? I don't know."
As China's influence in Latin America grows, the U.S. faces the challenge of countering China's soft power approach in the region. With China's Belt and Road Initiative providing a means for China to invest in public infrastructure and gain leverage over these countries, the U.S. may need to reassess its approach to Latin America.
While the U.S. remains Latin America's largest trading partner, China's quiet expansion in the southern hemisphere has caught the attention of U.S. defense officials and lawmakers. As China continues to make inroads in the region, the U.S. may need to take a more proactive approach to protect its interests and maintain its influence in Latin America.
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