China's support is the main reason that the tyrannical regimes in North Korea and Burma have not collapsed from their sheer economic incompetence. If anti-democratic juntas were ever to launch coups in the Western Hemisphere again, CAFTA would greatly enhance the power of the United States' opposition to them, counterbalancing China's growing influence in the region.
U.S. disengagement from Central America leaves a very real political and economic vacuum that China appears more than happy to fill. China has already elbowed its way into an observer's chair at the Organization of American States (OAS)—despite the OAS's stated goal of advancing democracy.
Moreover, China successfully lobbied to keep Taiwan out of an OAS observer position despite the fact that it is one of the world's most dynamic democracies. Chinese diplomatic advances in the Caribbean rim include massive trade agreements and military cooperation with Venezuela.
(As one retired Venezuelan admiral recently put it, “You have to see this from a geopolitical point of view. We're no longer a country allied to the Western Hemisphere. We're going to be allied to China or Russia.”) China has sent about 140 Chinese policemen to join U.N. peacekeepers in Haiti and is pressuring Haiti to break ties with Taiwan to maintain the U.N. presence. China plans to add 125 new police to the peacekeeping contingent for Haiti's presidential, legislative, and municipal elections.
It isth Taiwan to maintain the U.N. presence. China plans to add 125 new police to the peacekeeping contingent for Haiti's presidential, legislative, and municipal elections.
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
