Latin America Welcomes Our Chinese Overlords

When the Council of Americas warns us that we should beware of Chinese influence and investment in Latin America, it gives one pause. Pause to collect your thoughts and say, “Please invest more.” You see, the Council of Americas believes that the United States can do no wrong, and, well, that China is filled with evil foreigners.

And all investment is not the same. U.S. investment generally brings with it anti-corruption provisions, payment of taxes, technology transfer, management expertise, labor force protections and capacity building, corporate social responsibility and hiring at the local level. Chinese investment, not as much. The United States also has traditionally tried to use economic and financial incentives to encourage regional reforms.

I’ll wait till you stop laughing at the inanity of the quote above. Still waiting. Anti-corruption?! If it wasn’t for Africa, Latin America would be the most corrupt place on Earth. I could go on and on with the ridiculousness of that quote such as encouraging regional reforms. The crux of the article is that while Chinese investment in Latin America could possibly be a good thing for our Latin neighbors, it might not be so good for the United States. Apparently, the world economy should only be at the beck and call of America. Sorry that I missed that memo.