China Accelerates 'De-Americanization' of US Backyard... US Indirect Pressure

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding on Nicaragua's Belt and Road Initiative... Strengthening Economic Cooperation with Latin American Countries
China's Commitment to the Anti-American Latin American and Caribbean Community (CELAC)

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese state media pressured the United States, saying that the 'de-Americanization' of Latin America, considered the US's backyard, is accelerating.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The state-run Global Times reported on the 14th that Nicaragua, a Latin American country, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Belt and Road Initiative and maritime cooperation. Nicaragua established diplomatic relations with China in December last year, severing ties with Taiwan instead.

The Global Times, citing the announcement from China's National Development and Reform Commission, explained that China has established Belt and Road cooperation relationships with 146 countries and regions, and Nicaragua signed the MOU to strengthen economic cooperation with China. It emphasized that this Belt and Road MOU signing signifies that the de-Americanization of Latin American countries is becoming full-fledged.

Zhou Ziwei, a researcher at the Latin America Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, "Latin American countries facing pressure from the United States have begun to pursue autonomy such as economic and diplomatic independence," adding, "Latin American countries are choosing pragmatism in economic cooperation over political confrontation." He claimed that Latin American countries hope to cooperate with China to escape the economic coercion and interference of the United States.

China has devoted efforts to the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). CELAC is an alliance formed in 2010 by Latin American countries with anti-American tendencies to counterbalance US influence.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the CELAC summit held last September. At that time, President Xi stated, "China attaches great importance to developing relations with CELAC" and promised support to CELAC member countries.

Since 2015, China has continuously expanded its relations with Latin American countries by holding the China-Latin America Forum. From the US perspective, improving relations between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries is an embarrassing matter.

The Global Times boasted of economic cooperation with Latin American countries, stating that despite the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, trade volume between China and Latin American countries exceeded $300 billion (KRW 357 trillion) for three consecutive years. It also added that during the same period, 10% of the total foreign direct investment (FDI) in Latin America was Chinese investment.