US resumes billion-dollar offensive to contain China's influence

One of the first initiatives involves the allocation of US$175.8 million to replace submarine telecommunications cables considered old or vulnerable in the Caribbean and Central America. The proposal was communicated to Congress at the end of last week, according to information obtained by the Associated Press.

The project seeks to expand the use of equipment and suppliers from the United States or allied countries, reducing the space of Chinese companies in an infrastructure considered strategic for international data transmission.

The initiative was presented under the name “Project to Counter the Chinese Communist Party’s Control over Submarine Cables in the Caribbean and Central America”.

The White House is following the expansion of Chinese investments in the Americas with concern. Among the main points of tension are the participation of groups linked to China in ports close to the Panama Canal, projects financed by the Belt and Road initiative and the growing presence of Chinese companies in the telecommunications sector.

The State Department is also considering releasing almost US$500 million for programs aimed at containing Chinese influence in the Western Hemisphere, Africa and Asia.

An internal document cited by the AP states that the growth in the Chinese Communist Party's economic, technological and diplomatic power threatens the strategic interests of the United States.

Part of the resources should be used to recover projects interrupted after cuts promoted by the Department of Government Efficiency, known by the acronym DOGE. The structure, then led by Elon Musk, reduced federal expenses, eliminated diplomatic posts and contributed to the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development, USAID.

The measures also affected programs previously approved to compete for influence with Beijing in countries considered strategic.

Another set of proposals foresees more than US$340 million to finance around 50 projects in different parts of the world. Among them are the creation of security operations centers in Argentina and Belize, aimed at monitoring possible threats against digital networks and critical infrastructures.

The American government also intends to resume initiatives in Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. The projects seek to reinforce port security, combat illegal fishing on the high seas and protect chains related to the exploration of critical minerals.

The plan also includes actions to reduce Chinese influence over choosing the Dalai Lama's successor, limit international support for Beijing's space program and make it difficult to export Chinese surveillance and censorship technologies.

The resumption of investments occurs at a time of apparent tension between Washington and Beijing. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are trying to demonstrate a willingness for dialogue, while the Chinese president is preparing a visit to the United States in the second half of the year.

Trump is expected to meet with Xi in September, during the United Nations General Assembly, in New York. Before the meeting, American Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a security conference held in the Philippines.

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