Beijing Venturing into the Caribbean

thehill.com...

PRC activity in The Bahamas is an example of the three dimensions plus regional activity coalescing in a direct challenge to U.S. interests. This challenge is not theoretical; it is existential. A recent article in the Bahamian paper, The Nassau Guardian, lays it out clearly: “Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper is inviting Chinese investors to take advantage of opportunities in the tourism, agricultural and renewable energy sectors and to partner with the government on projects such as the upcoming public/private partnership (PPP) airport redevelopment project.”

Specifically, over the past dozen years, China has made a number of investments in The Bahamas, including a $30 million grant to build a national stadium; preferential loans to build a $3 billion megaport at Freeport; and $40 million to build a port off the Bahamian island of Abaco. Further, the China EXIM Bank provided over $54 million in preferential loans to build a four-lane highway and loaned nearly $3 billion to build the Baha Mar Resort. The China State Engineering Corporation purchased the British Hilton Colonial as part of a $250 million construction project.

China is 'investing' in the Bahamas.
and Jamaica.

www.cbc.ca...

Construction of the North South Highway started in earnest in 2013, the same year Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the launch of his Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It's a plan to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects to increase the flow of goods, money and people across much of the world, including the Caribbean.

The North South Highway, completed in 2016, was one of the first major infrastructure projects in Jamaica financed and built by a Chinese state-owned company.

Xi calls projects like this a "win-win" that deepen co-operation between the two countries while providing opportunity for development.

anyone really think China is pouring all this money in these countries out of benevolence?

But the highway has left Jamaica with a $730-million debt to China. And the $32 toll for a 66-kilometre, one-way trip —collected by the Chinese developer — means driving the highway isn't affordable for most Jamaicans.

"Some locals say the Jamaicans have been left paying for a highway that does not benefit them," said Jevon Minto, a local scholar who has researched the impact of Chinese development investments on Jamaica for the Inter-American Dialogue, a think-tank based in Washington, D.C.

"The locals don't drive it and yet they are the ones paying for it."

That's why, for some, the highway is emblematic of a larger question surrounding China's growing interest and investment in the Caribbean:

Who really wins and who loses?

Experts say there are several key reasons why China is investing in the region: to extract mineral resources, to develop strategic ports and shipping lanes, and to provide opportunities for Chinese labour.

think of the intel opportunities in having facilities this close to the USA.

a reply to: ElGoobero



It's sound, Captain Jack will sort them out.

This has been going on even when Trump was in office. The leaders of them countries were invited to China , wined , dined and even got to see them pretty little Chinese girls (of course legal age, not to cause embassasment) in rooms with hidden cameras.

Bottom line for famous business and political figures, travel to China with your wife or don't travel at all.
Remember MIM's "Chinese Spider Web Trap " it really is for real.

The good thing is China will NOT put any military hardware on them islands.

originally posted by: musicismagic
This has been going on even when Trump was in office. The leaders of them countries were invited to China , wined , dined and even got to see them pretty little Chinese girls (of course legal age, not to cause embassasment) in rooms with hidden cameras.

Bottom line for famous business and political figures, allows travel to China with your wife or don't travel at all.
Remember MIM's "Chinese Spider Web Trap " it really is for real.

yep yep yep.

The good thing is China will NOT put any military hardware on them islands.

wait, what?
curious as to on what you base this conclusion.

originally posted by: ElGoobero

originally posted by: musicismagic
This has been going on even when Trump was in office. The leaders of them countries were invited to China , wined , dined and even got to see them pretty little Chinese girls (of course legal age, not to cause embassasment) in rooms with hidden cameras.

Bottom line for famous business and political figures, allows travel to China with your wife or don't travel at all.
Remember MIM's "Chinese Spider Web Trap " it really is for real.

yep yep yep.

The good thing is China will NOT put any military hardware on them islands.

wait, what?
curious as to on what you base this conclusion.

Think of Cuba. US does not allow Russian or Chinese military hardware on Cuba, PERIOD. Now under the current administration , peace means love your enemy , so who knows what will happen now. Former USAF Vet. Trust me. Florida military installations can handle it within 20 minutes.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: ElGoobero

It's sound, Captain Jack will sort them out.

Too late, they own him, too.

a reply to: ElGoobero are those figures in USD or Jamaica Dollars. 1 USD equals $155 Jamaica Dollars.

a reply to: Nickn3

That's definitely in US dollars. $3 Billion for a major container port development is very much in-line with a port that is reported to see $80 billion in ships per year.

I heard about this from an Army Corp Engineer a couple of months ago.

I informed them that China is buying up resources inside the US as well.

a reply to: JustSaviorCyber

Remove the bot account troops.