China's construction binge spreads to Americas, rattling U.S.

China's got its Belt and Road, Russia its Eurasian Economic Union. While both these empires expand, Trump's alienating nations that used to be allies. Trump's trying to build a 'wall' to further separate the US from other nations. Trump's expanding his family brand name globally. Ivanka's got how many trademarks in China and elsewhere while her daddy's in office? Trump cares about his personal and family fortunes, jack about the US.

"We are all concerned about China and by the way that China is entering those countries," Pompeo said at the Group of 20 meeting of major economies in Argentina in December. Such projects are not always driven by "good intentions," he said.

Yes, because as we all know, the US has always been purely driven by "good intentions" in its dealings with Latin America, and never supported coups of democratically elected leaders or funded death squads or anything nasty like that...

USA abandoned the world so China is stepping in. The Belt and Road is a debt trap if you Google about it

Also this means Huawei networks and espionage listening posts

The U.S., Japan, Russia, India and other governments fret that Beijing is gaining economic and strategic influence at their expense.

Funny how capitalism suddenly sucks when you're not on top anymore, right ?

US control is slip, sliding away.

How about putting aside the guns and bombs, making friends and giving people what they want?

 the Democrats might be able to write policies that can help Latin America.

Who was it that cut off aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras?

leave the President alone

We demand an end to congressional oversight now! Trump is Lord and Savior!

Couldn't be any worse than having NATO on Russia's front porch. Don't think the Russians like that very much. Belt and Road in Mexico might give the American govt a little bit of the golden rule (do unto others as you would like them to do to you/how would you feel if...)

If countries want to allow China, or anyone else, to fund infrastructure, give loans, support them politically in world affairs, that is their choice. There are always strings attached, regardless of where the funding comes.

Trading a close 400 lb gorilla for a far away 800 lb gorilla might be the better choice. Cannot say.

A little competition to the Americans is a good thing. Either they will compete or they will not. Loosing a few key former friends might be a good lesson.

American leaders since the 19th century have seen as off-limits to other powers.

And Chinese leaders have seen the South and East China Sea as off limits to other powers, and yet America has several dozen military bases all around the Chinese backyard. Trump said his favorite word is ''reciprocity'', well, reciprocity be it then.

Even Russians in Siberia are complaining about the projects importing hordes of Chinese workers, instead of hiring local Russians to do the work

The problem is that the US has ruled the roost for too long. After WWII, the world gave too much power to the US and it become punch drunk, it became a dictator  and it wants to continue its economic, military and political domination of the globe. The US needs to learn that it is part of the universe, not its ruler. China is only just starting to do what the US has been doing for years. Look up how many military disputes, government overthrows and invasions the US has been involved in over the past 70 years and compare that with those involving China. The US even tried to control China.

America may need to update the Monroe Doctrine from 'European' to 'Asian' at some point. It's only a matter of time before they become they pre-eminent bogeymen for the easily scared populace.

rlperez@hotmail.com.auApr. 4  09:51 pm JST

After WWII, the world gave too much power to the US and it become punch drunk, it became a dictator and it wants to continue its economic, military and political domination of the globe.

No one "gave" the U.S. the power it held at the end of WWII. It naturally filled a military and economic vacuum with Europe and much of Asia in physical ruin and unable to feed themselves. You might want to compare and contrast those parts of Europe dominated by the Soviet Union and those benefiting from the Marshall Plan under U.S., U.K. and French management. Further, was the U.S. under any obligation to pay for the reconstruction of Western Europe and Japan?

For a century, the only thing Uncle Sam has been 'exporting' to Latin America is coup d'etat. I think its a no brainer which offer you take. However, if I was a LatAm world leader I would be cautious of being accused of 'drug dealing'. hint hint Noriega

@lostrune2 well maybe they should stop complaining, countries don't import immigrations when local work force is abundant.

Jeff HuffmanToday  02:39 am JST

No one "gave" the U.S. the power it held at the end of WWII. It naturally filled a military and economic vacuum with Europe and much of Asia in physical ruin and unable to feed themselves. 

Please provide your reference. That is a flat out superhero claim . Nations occupied by the US were never given a chance to decide for itself - because the US believes they are incapable, just like how it sees other nations that need to be "saved" from military and economic ruin. Fast forward now, China at least enters the world stage building, not bombing.

@lostrune2 well maybe they should stop complaining, countries don't import immigrations when local work force is abundant.

There's not much work --especially good work-- for Russians in rural parts of Siberia. The Chinese companies just want to employ Chinese - even building them lodgings segregated from the local population, so they don't have to deal with the locals at all.

"Siberia: Anti-Chinese protests"

https://www.dw.com/en/siberia-anti-chinese-protests/av-48110739

"Chinese Behavior in Siberia Sparks Local Anger Against Beijing — and Moscow"

https://jamestown.org/program/chinese-behavior-in-siberia-sparks-local-anger-against-beijing-and-moscow/

Siberians and Russians from the Far East are angry about many Chinese actions; but increasingly, they blame Moscow for allowing this to happen. Indeed, the central Russian government has often signed contracts with Chinese firms without so much as a consultation with local officials and even sweetened the deal for China by providing subsidies collected in taxes from Russian citizens and firms (see EDM, March 29, 2018). They blame Moscow for allowing almost unrestricted Chinese immigration; those incoming workers are then employed in Chinese factories operating on Russian soil, thus eliminating any possibility that local Russians could obtain these jobs.

The expansion of Chinese lumber companies into Siberia and the Russian Far East continues. Recently, for example, officials in Tomsk Oblast announced that they were renting some two million additional hectares of land to Chinese firms, allowing them to clear cut the land and to pay the few Russians they do employ far less than they pay the Chinese workers they have brought in to do much of the work (Novo-tomsk.ru, March 8).