US military heavyweights warn about Chinese militarization of the ports in Latin America

According to a report by the U.S.-China Commission, U.S. military leaders are extremely concerned about an increase in Chinese-owned ports in Latin America and the Caribbean that "may help its military" (USCC). Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, questioned why China would need to construct naval bases all over the world. In a time of war, if required, they will have the visiting rights to essentially nationalize and operationalize any port they hold around the world, and we will have no recourse. [caption id="attachment_46382" align="aligncenter" width="720"] A container ship arrives in the Port of Long Beach, California[/caption] According to the study, over 40 ports are being built by Chinese state-owned firms on both sides of the Panama Canal. Argentina now hosts a satellite tracking station run by the Chinese military. Chinese state-owned enterprises are constructing or leasing ports throughout Brazil's extensive Atlantic coast, the largest and wealthiest nation in South America. According to the USCC study, the investments have put "China in a position to significantly enhance its military footprint in the future." The largest state-owned food processor in China obtained a long-term contract for a terminal at the biggest port in Brazil close to So Paulo in April. Ports on the northern coast and close to Rio de Janeiro are controlled by other state-owned Chinese companies. Rubio asserted that the Communist Party controls every business in China, regardless of how privately they may claim to operate. This is because they wouldn't exist if the Communist Party didn't want them to. [caption id="attachment_46384" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks during a news conference in Brasília in December 2021[/caption] According to a website run by the American Enterprise Institute, China has spent over $2.25 trillion on construction and foreign investment since 2005. That includes more than $73 billion on initiatives in Brazil, a country abundant in resources. Core infrastructure projects, including electricity grids, shipping ports, and mass transit networks, are a big part of the investments and development projects. Additionally, Chinese state media has agreements in place to co-produce soap operas and other programming with Brazil's biggest television network.