Photo: Getty Images AsiaPac
China is still doing their best to grow and spread their influence across the globe, as close to the United States as possible. One way of doing this is by becoming more involved in ports across the globe, including ports in Latin America.
According to a recent study done by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, China is involved in either the construction or operation of around 31 different ports across the region.
While these might just be commercial operations right now, we know that the CCP draws a very thin and often blurry line between their commercial and their governmental and military operations.
Experts, including author Gordon Chang, who wrote the book Plan Red: China's Project to Destroy America, are warning that these commercial ports could quickly become militarized.
Chang pointed out that they've already used this strategy in the past, saying, "They've done this in Asia; for example, in Sri Lanka, China's container terminals have been used by the Chinese Navy."
Chang elaborated on the CCP's strategy, explaining that they use their economic power to gain influence in smaller, less developed countries, then undermine them from within.
He said, "Eventually, Chinese parties corrupt the political system, and they bring all sorts of crime to a society. This is the destruction of countries."
The good news is, Chang says that the CCP has been forced to scale back these operations, and even in some cases, completely abandon countries that they've attempted it in, primarily due to their own economic hardships at home.
He did warn that America needs to be careful here and make sure we insulate ourselves against the economic, political, and military threat that CCP-controlled China poses.