A Chinese outpost a stone's throw from the US: the latest secret revelation

A new one Chinese Outpost A stone's throw from the US is under construction. U.S. The spotlight is on a Caribbean island located 220 miles off the coast of the Virgin Islands. Here, onAntigua IslandInstead of the natural heaven one must arise Special Economic Zone Administered by China, according to some secret documents examined by the US magazine Newsweek. The region will have its own customs and immigration systems, a shipping port and dedicated air service, and will be able to issue passports. As well as guaranteeing operations that offer everything: from logistics to cryptocurrencies, from facial surgery to “virology”.

What's Happening in America's Backyard

Based on the documents he examined NewsweekThe ChineseIts state-owned enterprises and streamlined private enterprises are expanding rapidly in Antigua and Barbuda and other countries. Caribbean, in a strategic region long known as “America's Third Frontier.” Beijing's growing presence may be the biggest external challenge to the United States since the Soviet Union established itself in Cuba in the 1960s, so the U.S. military will be concerned.

“We understand that China can use its commercial and diplomatic presence for military purposes. In Asia, Africa and the Middle East, China has already abused trade agreements in host country ports for military purposes; Our concern is that they may do the same in this region“said a spokesman for Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Based in Florida. In short: hundreds of millions of dollars in loans and grants from beyond the wall and the vast construction of critical infrastructure — including ports, airports and water systems by Chinese state agencies — are transforming Antigua, once considered a “backwater” American territory. , in China's backyard.

Ahead of China

Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Brown He repeatedly praised China and its leader. Xi Jinping, highlights how the West has not provided much-needed aid to Antigua. During a week-long visit to China in January, Browne opened Antigua's embassy in Beijing — the countries have had diplomatic ties since 1983 — while ministers from the two countries signed at least nine memorandums of understanding. Commitment to Antiguan authorities to study G's thought on the management of ships and sailors.

With this, China has become Antigua's “lender of choice”, offering interest rates of 2% and a five-year moratorium on repayment. Antigua later joined Belt and Road Initiative In 2018. European and Asian diplomats in the region suspect that Beijing's interests go beyond the economic sphere. Some American analysts believe that the new Chinese embassy in St. John's is a nickname Castle Due to its large size and tight security, it could be a regional intelligence center. Brown, for his part, said speculation that China would operate a spy base “Absolute rubbish“.

A tracker shows 176 million dollars In Chinese loans to Antigua until 2022. Others are in the pipeline 60 million dollars They will come from Beijing for the water recovery project. According to the World Bank, this value is already equivalent to $2,400 (Chinese) loans per capita, where the annual GDP per capita is approximately $19,300.

America is worried about this.