"It's very difficult to tell a poor country that's looking for investment and trade, not to engage with the second largest economy in the world.". Construction of the North South Highway started in earnest in 2013, the same year Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the launch of his Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida has been ringing the alarm bells over China's growing influence in the region, which is particularly concerning, he says, given its proximity to the U.S. "China reaches out to interested nations with promises of hefty investment. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. "It determined that the cost of the port at Goat Island, both the development and operation, would be far greater than at least two or three other sites in Jamaica," Parchment said. That has some experts concerned, China is on a mission to re-make the world. ‘Pompeo has lost his mind’: China denies US claim it's prolonging Venezuela crisis, US commits to aiding Philippines in South China Sea. He says the Jamaican government should have negotiated terms that require Chinese firms to hire locals at all job levels, not just as labourers. "For the past 47 years, we have been working together as true friends and real partners.". The base, China’s first overseas, was opened in 2017 but the piers are still under construction. “China’s advancement of projects such as the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative (OBOR) will probably drive military overseas basing through a perceived need to provide security for OBOR projects,” the Pentagon said in its annual report to Congress on Chinese military and security developments. "It is our government's policy that I'm critical of, not the Chinese. Secondly, the Chinese are very competitive in carrying out these construction projects, which they do all over the world. It's a plan to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects to increase the flow of goods, money and people across much of the world, including the Caribbean. Beijing currently has just one overseas military base, in Djibouti, but is believed planning others, including possibly Pakistan, as it seeks to project itself as a global superpower. “Civilian research could support a strengthened Chinese military presence in the Arctic ocean, which could include deploying submarines to the region as a deterrent against nuclear attacks,” the report said. T The Bahamas has also partnered with China on high-profile investments. Because they have an idea?'". She shared the findings with members of the Jamaican Parliament, and then-newly elected Prime Minister Andrew Holness. The Chinese base -- about four miles from U.S. Camp Lemonnier, a hub of operations for U.S. Africa Command in the East African country -- will "assist China's contribution to … China is continuing to increase and diversify its investments in the Caribbean region. CBC News takes a road trip through Jamaica to learn more. China has already delivered 30,000 virus test kits to Jamaica and at least 100,000 protective masks to Cuba as well as about 100 ventilators to the Dominican Republic. The assessment is included in the US military’s annual report to Congress on China’s armed forces. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Bernal cautions against assigning all the blame to China. CBC News took a road trip through Jamaica and asked who wins and who loses when it comes to China's Belt and Road. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. ... the Chinese have occupied this … I think it's a lack of development of the Jamaican construction workforce.". Bernal, Jamaica's former ambassador to the U.S., remains cautiously optimistic about Jamaica's involvement in Belt and Road. This story is part of a CBC News series exploring China's expanding influence around the world and how Canada and other countries are contending with China's power. In addition, the Washington Post recently identified an outpost hosting many Chinese troops in eastern Tajikistan, near the strategic junction of the Wakhan corridor, China, and Pakistan. Stops included Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Costa Rica. In April 2016, China's Ministry of Defence announced that construction of China's first overseas military base had begun. China and Afghanistan Officials Deny Chinese Military Base Claims However, both the Chinese and the Afghan officials deny the building of any Chinese military base in Afghanistan. Some said they have been in talks with JISCO about possible compensation and help relocating but are still waiting to hear back from the company. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. The Trump administration is keeping a suspicious eye on China while helping the Bahamas recover from Hurricane Dorian. When he returned home, he announced that Jamaica would not be negotiating any new loans with China and would instead focus on private-sector partnerships and reducing Jamaica's debt. The Pentagon report noted that Denmark has expressed concern about China’s interest in Greenland, which has included proposals to establish a research station, establish a satellite ground station, renovate airports and expand mining. Another resident said her skin breaks out in rashes when it's windy outside. And the $32 toll for a 66-kilometre, one-way trip —collected by the Chinese developer — means driving the highway isn't affordable for most Jamaicans. China will build string of military bases around world, says Pentagon Locations could include Middle East, Pakistan, and western Pacific to protect … "Guess what? An agreement seen by U.S. officials would allow China 30-year use of the base, it was reported in the media. If we could get that break in China, wouldn't we?". The Alpart mine and refinery, one of Jamaica's largest, is located in the southwestern town of Nain. MacDonald is far from alone in seeing this dynamic. "They were going to be levelling the island, removing all of the trees, which is habitat for birds, and also the mangroves, in particular, which are where the baby fish and crabs grow.". Of more concern to US security interests is the ongoing seaport expansion project in the already commercially important port at Kingston, Jamaica, as well as the port at Freeport, Bahamas, China’s possible new base of operations 90 miles off the US coast. "The U.S. and China definitely have marked out a new competitiveness — a rivalry, if you want — that does look like a Cold War in some aspects," he said. "It's also critical for the movement of trade and products out of Asia to the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.". But a closer look reveals workers wearing safety vests emblazoned with Chinese characters, and badges that read, "China Aid.". Residue from bauxite can contain concentrations of harmful metals and low levels of radioactive elements. "You know, there have been lots of different discussions ... that the Chinese are trying to take over the world," she said. In an effort to dissuade the government from going ahead with the port, Ingrid's group commissioned a study from the Conservation Strategy Fund, a California-based environmental consultancy, that looked at the environmental and economic impacts of the project. Jamaica U.S. Military Bases News Topics; Specialized News Sections on Jamaica U.S. Military Bases I'm just saying it's not something unique to the Chinese.". The China Harbor Engineering Company spent $730 million dollars to expand the highway and plans to begin investment in a new Jamaican port. This is a highly strategic location close to a deep water channel used by US military for deep water exercises. CBC News reached out to the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Jamaica Limited, whose members include construction companies operating in Jamaica, but didn't receive a response prior to publication. Last month, the Jamaican government announced the groundbreaking for a children's hospital in Montego Bay, the first hospital to be built in the country in decades. This includes strengthening the country’s presence in international institutions, acquiring top-flight technology and establishing a strong economic presence worldwide. It also includes projecting the country’s military force on land, sea and in space, the report notes. China Navy … China’s state-supported construction enterprises are building hotel resorts in the Bahamas, Guyana and Barbados. Russia has always tended to be much more overt in establishing bases overseas. And thirdly, what you find is that it comes with less conditionality than Western aid.". In Mount Carey, a rural district in Jamaica, just south of Montego Bay, two men flag down passing cars while a third shovels concrete into potholes that are overtaking the road. 07-16-2020. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Holness spent eight days visiting China. During an October visit to a military base in the southern province of Guangdong, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on troops to put all their “minds and energy on preparing for war”. "One, the terms are quite generous — long repayment periods, low interest. China is also constructing a deep-sea port in Koh Kong, west of the base, which reportedly would have the ability to take navy frigates and military aircraft. "If you're one of the biggest holders of that country's debt, you may have a little more say in the processes and policies that get enacted.". Experts Warn a 'Horrible Surprise Coming', US-China Military Clash Within Six Months. “China has conducted undeclared military activities in Antarctica, is building up a case for a territorial claim, and is engaging in minerals exploration there,” the report says. NewsBlock_9AM_071620_HD1080_110.499_297. Parchment is executive director of the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation, which is responsible for preserving the area. To better understand how these interests are playing out in the region, CBC News travelled to Jamaica, the 10th and most recent Caribbean nation to formally sign on to BRI. “The port will be used to store a variety of building materials including steel, limestone and cement and other items, up to 10,000 tons,” reported the Jamaica Observer. Building a military base on the reef would guarantee China coverage of the whole of the South China Sea, in terms of radio and military range. Beijing in particular increasingly see the United States as becoming more confrontational in an effort to contain China’s expanding power, it said. "The Chinese do not engage Jamaican engineers and Jamaican management on the construction job, they only engage labour," said Carvel Stewart, a civil engineer and former president of the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica. After reaching an agreement, Beijing hijacks the country's resources and infrastructure, often dramatically ramping up the lending terms after initial negotiation," he wrote in an op-ed for the Miami Herald back in September. The US defense department expects China to add military bases around the world to protect its investments in it ambitious One Belt One Road global infrastructure program, according to an official report released on Thursday. Soon after, Holness announced the port project was cancelled. "China needs to set up another base in Gwadar for its warships because Gwadar is now a civilian port," Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming told the South China Morning Post in January 2018. "I'm not exonerating the Chinese. Comments are welcome while open. The reopening brought jobs back to the community, but not without some concerns. It sat dormant until it was purchased in 2016 by Chinese state-owned mining giant Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCO). That's why, for some, the highway is emblematic of a larger question surrounding China's growing interest and investment in the Caribbean: Experts say there are several key reasons why China is investing in the region: to extract mineral resources, to develop strategic ports and shipping lanes, and to provide opportunities for Chinese labour. B It involves the Chinese building a $1.5bn deep water container port on islands in Jamaica using dredging and land reclamation to accommodate mega ships coming through the … WATCH | Highways, mines and hospitals — CBC visits some of Jamaica's infrastructure projects bankrolled by China: Another reason for China's interest in the Caribbean is its proximity to the Panama Canal, a strategic shipping route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. {Ed. Seeking out natural resources is also a key aspect of BRI. It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. CBC News examines the stakes for Canada, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Jamaica's Ministry of Transport and Mining said the closure will allow time to make upgrades and for the price of aluminum to recover. That effort could be constrained by other countries’ wariness of hosting a full-time presence of the People’s Liberation Army, the report noted. China's Belt and Road Initiative: Where it goes and what it's supposed to accomplish, The man, the myth: How Xi Jinping's rise from village life explains China's ambitions, Huawei funds $56M in academic research in Canada. But target locations for military basing could include the Middle East, south-east Asia, and the western Pacific. Bauxite mining is also the second largest industry in Jamaica. Looking out at the shores of Goat Island, Ingrid Parchment wonders if this is all just history repeating itself. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Joseph, who lives in the community, says the road has become dangerous, so they're collecting donations to pay for concrete to fix it themselves. The Yulin base, on the southern end of Hainan Island almost 300 miles (470 kilometers) southwest of Hong Kong, is one of China's key facilities to protect its … China has since financed new ports in Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and the Bahamas. But the highway has left Jamaica with a $730-million debt to China. There is a SATCOM sight there and also military planes do transit and even remain overnight in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries at times especially when going to GITMO or on into Soto Cano Airbase in Honduras. China also has built hospitals in Dominica, St. Kitts, Barbados and Trinidad, as well as a children’s hospital in Jamaica. He said the U.S. approach has been to tell countries not to engage with China, but that's a tough sell. When Ingrid Parchment heard that Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller announced the plan during a trip to China, she was shocked. Five years ago, the Jamaican government announced that the state-owned China Harbour Engineering Company would lead the project. Construction of the port would have also required dredging around the island, which would leave the local community more vulnerable to damage from hurricanes. The craft has 300 hospital beds and eight operating rooms—and carries 416 personnel, 107 of them medical workers. China’s Export-Import Bank provided a $2.5 billion loan to help develop the Baha Mar resort, which opened last year. Last month, JISCO decided to shut the mine for two years. The hospital is a gift from China — one of the perks that comes with doing business with the economic powerhouse. GITMO only allows day time flight operations because they don't want a US military aircraft straying into Cuban airspace. Tiffany Foxcroft is an award-winning investigative journalist and producer with The National. China's investments have brought much-needed infrastructure to the region, but with that has also come some friction. Bauxite, a rock formed from the reddish clay of tropical regions, is the world's primary source of aluminum. CBC News requested an interview with Holness but was told he wasn't available. On July 19 the Jamaican government announced that the Alpart alumina … To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). The residue from bauxite plants have been here since they were established 50 years ago by Canadians and American firms," he said. "But I don't know if I really think it is any different from when the British came out, or the French came, or the Spanish came. MacDonald says the U.S. has a point about China's potential leverage over some BRI countries. "The Panama Canal is critical for trade in the Americas," said Scott MacDonald, an analyst of China-Caribbean relations for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a D.C.-based think-tank. According to Kyle Bass (Hayman Capital Management), chinese acquired Bird Cay in Bahamas and already started some construction work there. Such concessions have prompted criticism from members of the local construction industry, some of whom accuse the Jamaican government of selling out their industry to the Chinese. China's interest in the Caribbean extends beyond loans and labour. Even so, Bernal said he has told officials in the U.S. that if they want to maintain their country's influence in the region, the U.S. needs to step up. It's part of Jamaica's Portland Bight, an environmentally sensitive and protected area. China’s president, Xi Jinping, has sought to project the country’s power beyond its immediate “back yard” in east and south-east Asia. In 2009, Alpart closed in the wake of the global financial crisis and a downturn in the aluminum industry. The BJP MP praised the Modi government for building two-lane roads till the border. The North South Highway, completed in 2016, was one of the first major infrastructure projects in Jamaica financed and built by a Chinese state-owned company. She also took him on a tour of the island. George Thomas. At first glance, the site is unremarkable. Some Nain residents who spoke with CBC News said they were grateful for the work but also worried about the potential impact on their health. The report came as the Pentagon also warned that deepening Chinese activities in the Arctic region could also pave the way for a strengthened military presence, including the deployment of submarines to act as deterrents against nuclear attack. There is … 6172125100001. Of primary concern is bauxite dust, which can contaminate drinking water and cause damage to the lungs, nose and throat, as well as exposed skin. "I thought, 'Why are we giving away one of our major resources to somebody? “China’s leaders are leveraging China’s growing economic, diplomatic, and military clout to establish regional preeminence and expand the country’s international influence,” the report said. This is most often the case when projects are funded by grants, loans and private investments from China. This year Jamaica became the 10th Caribbean country to formally sign on to China's Belt and Road Initiative. China has already established well-armed outposts on contested atolls it build up in the South China Sea. Tian Qi, China's ambassador to Jamaica, described the project as a testament to his country's relationship with Jamaica. A number of her investigations have led to provincial and national policy change. Last year, there were reportedly discussions on a base in the Wakhan corridor of north-west Afghanistan. The base is substantial with a well laid-out interior and large helicopter apron. China's investments have brought much-needed infrastructure to the region, but with that has also come some friction. “China will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a longstanding friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan, and in which there is a precedent for hosting foreign militaries,” the report said. 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