Posted on 02/19/2005 11:07:06 AM PST by 68skylark
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- China is waging an aggressive campaign of seduction in the Caribbean, wooing countries away from relationships with rival Taiwan, opening markets for its expanding economy, promising to send tourists, and shipping police to Haiti in the first communist deployment in the Western Hemisphere.
And the United States, China's Cold War enemy, is benignly watching the Asian economic superpower move into its backyard.
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For decades China and Taiwan used dollar diplomacy to win over small Caribbean nations where small projects building roads, bridges, wells and fisheries go a long way.
But Beijing's growing economic clout is tipping the scales in the region. Caribbean trade with China reached $2 billion last year, a 42.5 percent increase from 2003, the Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.
The United States has applauded China's economic offensive, seeing it as a herald of political reform.
``China's intensified interest in the Western Hemisphere does not imply a lack of focus by the United States,'' Roger Noriega, the U.S. assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs, said in a recent letter to the editor of New Jersey's Newark Star Ledger. ``The United States has long stood for expansion of global trade and consolidating democracy.''
This year, two Caribbean countries -- Dominica and Grenada -- switched allegiance to China, abandoning Taiwan, which China calls ``a renegade province.''
Though democratic Taiwan is self-governing, communist Beijing insists the island is part of China. The two sides split amid civil war in 1949 and Beijing has since refused to have ties with any government that recognizes Taiwan.
``Democratic, market-oriented Taiwan is a thorn in its side,'' said Steve Johnson, senior policy analyst at the conservative Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation.
Two weeks before Dominica changed sides, Taiwan gave it $9 million. China promised Dominica $112 million over the next six years.
``China is not only increasing its influence in the Caribbean, the region is opening up to China, realizing that Taiwan's money diplomacy is not working anymore,'' said Guyana's Foreign Minister Clement Rohee.
The Bahamas was one of the first in the region to abandon Taiwan, in 1997. The move came as Hutchisom Whampoa, a Beijing-allied Hong Kong company, opened a $114 million container port in Freeport and bought three hotel resorts in Nassau. Since then, China has earmarked more than $1 billion for projects ranging from maritime transport to a sports complex.
Grenada's Prime Minister Keith Mitchell said he expects future Chinese aid will be significant.
Early this month, Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong visited Jamaica for a three-day China-Caribbean economic and trade forum attended by hundreds of Chinese and Caribbean government officials and business executives.
Robert Stephens, chairman of Jamaica's Fair Trade Commission and senior vice president of the Jamaican Port Authority, looks forward to future deals.
``The Chinese would distribute goods throughout the Caribbean. Any increase in business would benefit Jamaica as a logistic distribution hub,'' he said.
By the end of the forum, China added Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, and St. Lucia to its approved travel destinations, promising the region a bigger piece of the fast-growing Chinese tourist market.
Caribbean governments had sought the approved status to boost a tourism industry hard hit by the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States.
``Basically, it's the tourist trade that interests China,'' Johnson said. ``I think they will try to invest in their own hotels and in maritime activities'' while ``consolidating their access to energy'' in oil-producing Trinidad.
Qinghong this month led a delegation of 120 to Trinidad and visited its Pitch Lake, which produces asphalt used to pave many Chinese highways and the runways at Beijing International Airport. China, already the leading importer of Trinidadian asphalt, is a good prospect for even more business as Beijing develops infrastructure for the 2008 Olympic Games and World Expo 2010, a Chinese government statement said.
In the Caribbean, only four countries still maintain relations with Taiwan -- the Dominican Republic, Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
But China has commercial missions in the Dominican Republic and in Haiti, where in October China dispatched 95 police officers to join a U.N. peacekeeping force. It is Beijing's first contribution to a U.N. mission in the Western Hemisphere.
The United States and China once were mortal enemies.
When China became communist in 1949, the United States supported Taiwan, the island where the former Chinese government had taken refuge. U.S. troops fought Chinese soldiers during the 1950-53 Korean War.
But in 1971 the United Nations gave Beijing the China seat and Taiwan was expelled. In 1979, the United States recognized China's legitimacy. In 2001, China entered the World Trade Organization and foreign investment in China shot to $153.5 billion last year, up 33 percent from 2003.
Last year, China's share of global output was 13 percent ---- more than that of Canada and almost twice that of Japan.
U.S. exports to China have grown more rapidly than to any other country with cumulative investment there reaching $35 billion, according to the State Department. Among leading U.S. businesses there, Wal-Mart sales in China totaled $707 million in 2003.
There goes the world shortstop market.
And so it goes...
A little over 200 years, and we're right on schedule.
Dem commies..dey effa get a beatin'. mon!
Tu rass, mon!!!
How about "sheik yermoney?"
Just think, the Chinese took over the Panama Canal while Republicans watched, now they moved beyond their hemisphere into ours, and we cheer. Now they move their "democracy" into positions to surround us. Someone tell me that there is not a political game of "three card monte" going on.
I think they should fatten up the Chinese on a lot of jerk pork, and then proceed to eat them.
I can't believe this. The dragon must be slayed!
Maybe sheik mebamboo...
Maybe sheik mebamboo...
This is one of the small steps of America losing it's rank as the "Superpower".
The United States has applauded China's economic offensive, seeing it as a herald of political reform.
The Chinese never took over the Panama Canal. A private Chinese citizen does own the company which is building the ports in Balboa and Cristobal, but the managers are British and the blue collars are Panamanians. Many of the other ports being built are owned by U.S. companies to include the new railroad.
You should do a little reading on this. I live here so I know what is going on.
All military "tourists".
How about "Sheik Ya-mani?"
In the early 1960's (through the 2nd Vatican Council) the Catholic Church decided to 'open' itself up to the world and stop being so 'isolationist'. The theory was that the gospel and the Church would spread and grow. The architects of this radical change called it "The New Springtime". But the 'world' has been beating up on the Church ever since, and the Church is staggering.
Unfortunately, it's no different with the U.S. In the name of modernity, and in the promise of economic growth and strength, we have opened our doors up to the 'world' through free trade and unchecked immigration. How long will it be before our own enemies find us staggering about? Or have they already?
Even more regrettable it was a former Republican President, (Nixon), who helped opened the doors to free trade with Communist China. And it was other Republican Presidents (Presidents GHWB and GWB) who helped keep this trade status alive with this barbaric nation. I don't know what it's all done for the U.S. economy, but the Communist Chinese economy is growing with frightening speed, (and so is their military capability).
You should do a little reading of your own. The Chinese control both ends of the Panama Canal. In 1997, the Hong Kong-based Hutchinson Whampoa company bought port facilities on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the canal. This company is thought by most experts to be a front for the Chinese military. If anyone believes that the ChiCom government actually allows corporations to run freely, they're probably the same folks who think there is a Catholic Church in China. (There is, but its Bishops are appointed by the Chinese government). There is NOTHING in Communist China that the government doesn't have its communist fingers in.
Gads, how can one talk to somebody who knows it all but has never set foot in Panama much less lives here and obviously has only read things that back up his/her wacko beliefs. Believe what you want. Best of luck. Oh, the moon is made of blue cheese, but you knew that.
Damned right.
Sheik Yamani was a former Saudi oil minister, dontcha know?
LOL!!! Absolutely! Hence, Sheik Yermoney and Sheik Yamania is da same rass ting (as they say in the West Indies). Rass Mon!!!
Yamania = Yamani...sorry...
It's already been done.
Jimmy Carter dusted off Monroe when he away the Panama Canal.
__________________________
Yeah? What's his name? What did he do before? Where did a private citizen in a Communist country get the funds needed? You will get points for creative ostrich responses.
Hadn't really much to do with "spreading the gospel" as far as I've seen.
How about trying to stop buying the crap they make for a start!!
Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing
I don't know what you guys are arguing about, [haven't been following] but the guy mentioned above is up to his eye balls in guanxi with the party in China.
You are correct. Mr. Li Ka-shing has to play nicies with the PRC if he wants to keep his billions now that Hong Kong is part of China. He also owns "Cable and Wireless," a communications company (telephone for one) used in many places around the world, including Panama. It’s a darn good company. Again, management is British and the rest are Panamanian workers.
Depends on what you mean by 'took over'--I would say possibly 'overrunning' [emphasis on present or future tense] would be a better term. As for 'owning' or 'controlling' I would agree with you.
The flea doesn't own the dog...
A private Chinese citizen does own the company which is building the ports in Balboa and Cristobal
He's got more ports than that. Li Ka Shing's empire accounts for around 10% of Hong Kong's stock market. He has more ports under his watch than those. By far.
but the managers are British and the blue collars are Panamanians.
Its like that here. Chinese shipping corporations employ the people in the areas where they locate. I met some Americans who work for Chinese shippers just today.
Hutchinson isn't a real Chinese sounding name either. If I am not mistaken Hutchinson was formerly British owned but Lee bought it about 20 years ago. It maintains its bases in the UK as it always has. He certainly didn't buy then kick out the Brits and move everything to Hong Kong... the assets are overseas and he operates his investments as such.
I am basically agreeing with you...
Even with 11 billion dollars you still have to kiss ass in China.
I've got a sudden mania for Pennsylvania..
Yes, he has ports in many places in the world. You should see what his company is building here. It’s futuristic.
Thank you about the information about his purchase of Hutchinson. I had not realized it was so recent. The name “Hutchinson” did not surprise me, but only for the wrong reasons. When you go to Hong Kong, everyone with whom you do business has an English first name…Peter Chen, Mike Wong, etc. Therefore, I thought the same with the name “Hutshinson.” But I also knew he had important investments in England.
This man is a survivor.
LOL!!! I certainly would...or at least I would get one of my servants to do it. We are talking big money here.
At one time the church and governments knew the way to bring changes and blessings to different parts of the world, were to change hearts, not the way in which the money changers did business.
U.S. Watches As China Woos Caribbean
Note that China has "opened a $114 million container port in Freeport", Bahamas. Freeport is 56 miles from the US. Someone should ask Senator Chuckie Cheese Schumer, how billions of dollars in U.S. port security can safeguard us from nuclear devices in China's container port in Freeport.
And the United States, China's Cold War enemy, is benignly watching the Asian economic superpower move into its backyard.
I guess the modern government just decided that pesky Monroe Doctrine is just a piece of paper and not good policy.
WTF is wrong with our government ???
I'm sure a lot of IRBMs and SRBMs could be offloaded, warehoused and ready for fast launches off that little island as well.
If Congress passes CAFTA, China will really be in the catbird seat. They do consider the US an enemy, whether it is ideologically or economically and in their global strategy, the "free trade" agreements our elected representatives seem to be drunk on, are instrumental in accomplishing their goals.
It could be another "Cuban Missile Crisis". But it is also possible that the Chinese could establishing deniability by allowing terrorist to do the dirty work.
china is also getting a foothold into south america and africa.
One day we may experience a real "Red Dawn"
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