Marlowe's Shade

Friday, February 04, 2005

China Challenges the Monroe Doctrine

From the People's Daily Online.

With a firm foothold in Panama and Venezuela, China is using trade to extend its influence in the Western Hemisphere:

China hopes to further tighten friendship and cooperation via the China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum with the Caribbean countries, said Vice President Zeng Qinghong Wednesday in Kingston.

Zeng said this in meetings, on separate occasions, with leadersof Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominic, Cuba, Suriname and Barbados, who are here to attend the opening ceremony of the firstMinisterial Meeting of the China-Caribbean forum that opened here earlier Wednesday.

This is in the fundamental interests of the two sides, he said,adding it will have positive impact on promoting the South-South cooperation.

Zeng said the Chinese side is convinced that the forum will play a positive role in enhancing China-Caribbean cooperation withefforts of all parties concerned.


Isn't "tighten" an odd word to use in the context of increasing friendship and cooperation? A rough translation perhaps. But this is an odd subject to bring up in a summit on trade:

The [Caribbean] leaders also reiterated their persistence to the one China policy.

Opposition to Taiwan is of course the sin qua non of any friendly relations with China.
papijoe 8:17 AM
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