As Washington keeps a wary eye on China’s recent military activities around Taiwan, another security threat is gathering strength closer to U.S. borders.
During a March 8 House Armed Services Committee hearing, two senior U.S. military commanders expressed grave concern over China’s increasing military and technology presence in Latin America.
U.S. Southern Command Army Gen. Laura Richardson told the committee that China’s activities are a “relentless march” targeting United States hegemony in the Western Hemisphere.
“This is a risk we can’t accept or ignore,” Richardson said.
China’s delivery of military hardware to Latin American governments has been anything but subtle. Between 2009 and 2019, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) transferred $634 million in military assets to five South American nations: Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Peru….