China's Megaport in Peru Alarms US Officials
according to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. is concerned about the potential for China to use the port for military purposes
"China is building a $3.5 billion megaport in Peru that could speed trade between Asia and South America and provide Beijing with an economic foothold in the region, historically dominated by the U.S., the Wall Street Journal reported.The project, backed by Hong Kong-based Cosco Shipping Ports, also has raised concerns among U.S. officials about national security implications.
"This changes the game," said Eric Farnsworth, a former high-ranking State Department diplomat who now leads the Washington office of the Council of the Americas think tank. "It really platforms China in a major new way in South America as the gateway to global markets. It is not just a commercial issue at that point, it is a strategic issue."
The port will be the first on South America's Pacific coast able to receive megaships and is 4,500 miles from San Francisco, or on America's "20-yard-line," said Gen. Laura Richardson, head of the U.S. Southern Command."
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