Latin America

United States Watching China's Growing Influence In Latin America

19 April 2006

VOICE OF AMERICA (BEIJING)--China builds stronger ties with Latin America in part to satisfy its need for raw materials to fuel industrial growth, and in part to strengthen its worldwide diplomatic reach. This draws the attention of the United States, which last week dispatched its top diplomat, Thomas Shannon, the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, to Beijing. He said the Chinese assured him that their intentions remain more economic and less political. Shannon said the Chinese acknowledged that their growing relationship with Latin America has a military component. Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-04-19-voa3.cfm (Reliability: 6)

Comment: The source also has links to an audio address by the author of this article, as well as his complete written report.