Forget Russia, Iran or North Korea. China is infinitely more dangerous and now firmly entrenched right next door.
Back in 2012, Sleepy Joe Biden famously, or infamously, said, “They’re going to put you all back in chains.”
It was during the 2012 presidential election race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.
We know that didn’t happen. Romney lost and black Americans didn’t end up in chains.
Unfortunately for islanders, who are majority black and reside on the many Caribbean islands, they may end up suffering the fate Uncle Joe predicted. But it’s not evil white Americans, or frankly any white people who may ultimately put black Caribbean islanders back in chains.
For many years, China has embarked on an expansion tour, as it were. With a consistent show of military might, China’s maritime territory grab in the South China Sea seems to have no end.
This was discussed at the West 2020 conference, in which Hunter Stires of the U.S. Naval War College stated, “If we don’t take action to stop China now, we will be living in China’s world.”
China’s long-time desire to take the independent island nation of Taiwan has been long known. The only reason they haven’t thus far is that it is protected by The Formosa Resolution and the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, passed by the Senate and signed by President Eisenhower in 1955. Also, having President Trump as commander and chief undoubtedly helps.
To be certain, China has not and will never give up on “acquiring” Taiwan.
But Communist China is proving that they are able to multi-task. And they’re latest target of acquisition is much closer to home – right in our own backyard. Unlike the military bullying tactics used in the South China Sea, Xi Jinping’s regime instead is throwing money at several cash-strapped Caribbean islands.
Since 2005, it’s estimated that China has pumped a minimum of $7 billion into several island nations. I say a minimum of $7 billion because much of the money “is offered as ‘soft loans’ for infrastructure projects that are harder to track. …” In other words, it is likely in the tens of billions.
And the kicker is that many of the “agreements” stipulate that these islands must divest all trade with Taiwan, while increasing trade with China. Gee, I wonder why?
In 2018, the Dominican Republic was rewarded with and estimated $3 billion in loans and investments for cutting ties with Taiwan, as did the island of Grenada, which got a new $55 million cricket stadium.
After spending $2.6 billion on the Caribbean’s largest seaport, in Jamaica, China took full control of the Jamaica Kingston Freeport. They’re doing the same in Cuba with investments in the Santiago de Cuba seaport.
Other “investments and loans” include $600 million to the aforementioned Cuba, $450 million to the Bahamas, $490 million to Barbados, a billion to Barbuda and Antigua, and $1.9 billion to Trinidad and Tobago.
In American terms, these amounts wouldn’t hold much sway, but when your island’s entire GDP is less than $2 billion, it’s a big deal, or huuuuuuge, as Trump would say.
And lest you think, well, with all that construction, at least islanders are gainfully employed – think again. Another stipulation is that Chinese contractors and laborers must be imported to work on these jobs.
I agree with the sentiment of Hunter Stires, as China expands its influence deep into our hemisphere:
“If we don’t take action to stop China now, we will be living in China’s world.”
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