China’s decision to expand its ambitious multi-trillion-dollar “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative to Latin America may create security vulnerabilities for the United States by allowing Beijing to expand its influence over the region, the chief of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) cautioned lawmakers.
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, Adm. Kurt Tidd, the commander of SOUTHCOM, testified that Beijing has already pledged $500 billion in trade funds with various Latin American countries and $250 billion in Chinese direct investment over the next decade, adding:
Increased economic cooperation—such as the extension of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative to Latin America, one of the nodes to support China’s vision of a competing global economic initiative—and the continued provision of financing and loans that appear to have “no strings attached” provide ample opportunity for China to expand its influence over key regional partners and promote unfair business and labor practices.
Increased reach to key global access points like Panama create commercial and security vulnerabilities for the United States, as do Chinese telecommunications and space ventures with dual-use potential, which could facilitate intelligence collection, compromise communication networks, and ultimately constrain our ability to work with our partners.
AAN Staff
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