We are, of course, far removed from a Cold War environment in which two global superpowers battled for influence and alliances around the globe, but the broader dynamic is not dissimilar – it’s clear that China sees itself as a 21st-century power, and it’s eager to establish make inroads just about everywhere, including the Caribbean.
This is a part of American foreign policy that isn’t often discussed, which Republicans tend to ignore, and which the White House cares deeply about in a very quiet way.
Indeed, this came up in January, when Obama made a high-profile return [color=rgb(0, 102, 204)]
to India
[/color], which has long been friendly with Russia, but which is now looking for a new friendly superpower to hang out with. AsPolitico [color=rgb(0, 102, 204)]
noted
[/color] at the time, Obama would like the United States, not China, to be that friend: “As part of that strategy and an effort to counterbalance China, Obama has looked to bolster India – which is on course to overtake China as the world’s most populous nation – to make sure China has a strong rival in the region.â€
I suspect the U.S. president was thinking along similar lines when he agreed to visit Jamaica. The Caribbean has a new suitor, and the White House very likely to wants to remind Jamaicans and others of the United States’ longstanding ties to the region.
More from the Times’ piece in 2012:
[color=rgb(51, 51, 51)]
Several analysts in the Caribbean say they believe that China eventually will emerge as a political force in the region, with so many countries indebted to it, at a time when the United States is perceived as preoccupied with the Middle East and paying little attention to the region.
“They are buying loyalty and taking up the vacuum left by the United States, Canada and other countries, particularly in infrastructure improvements,†said Sir Ronald Sanders, a former diplomat from Antigua and Barbuda.
“If China continues to invest the way it is doing in the Caribbean, the U.S. is almost making itself irrelevant to the region,†he added. “You don’t leave your flank exposed.â€
[/color]
Maybe this would be a good time to note that reflexive opposition to foreign aid isn’t always wise.
The Summit of the Americas begins tomorrow. Obama [/color][color=rgb(0, 102, 204)]
will meet with
[/color][color=rgb(51, 51, 51)] leaders of the 15-member Caribbean Community today.