China-Latin America cooperation betters lives, despite naysayers

A container is lifted at the Chancay Port in Lima, Peru, November 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

By Mei Xingong

The Chancay Port lying north of Lima, Peru's capital, is South America's first smart port. It is also a flagship collaboration project between China and Peru under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Since the port became operational in November 2024, there has been a lot of American media analysis about it and China's overall cooperation with Latin American countries. Some seem anxious that China has replaced the United States as the largest trading partner of most countries in the region, resulting in the U.S. "losing ground."

Some say China is reaping significant economic benefits. And there are some who cite Laura Richardson, former commander of U.S. Southern Command, who called China a threat "on the 20-yard-line, in the red zone to our homeland."

However, these are misperceptions about the mutually beneficial China-Latin America cooperation, which do no good for the region's development and prosperity.

As sovereign and independent nations, Latin American countries have the right to choose their own development paths and partners. The region belongs to its people. It is not any country's "backyard." China's friendship and cooperation with Latin America has no strings attached, is not targeted at any third party, and is not intended to compete for influence with other nations.

A reciprocal cooperation

Cooperation between China and Latin America has contributed tangibly to the region's economic and social development. The Chancay Port is a vivid example. In the first phase, it will shorten shipping time from Peru to China to 23 days, cut logistics costs by over 20 percent, generate $4.5 billion in annual revenue for Peru and create over 8,000 direct job opportunities.

Also, notably, the Chancay Port has an animal rescue center to protect seals, penguins and other birds while improving their habitats, wetlands and beaches.

Interestingly, the Washington Post reported something contrary to U.S. media fears. It quoted Leolino Dourado, a researcher with the Center for China and Asia-Pacific Studies at the Universidad del Pacifico in Lima, as saying, "American concerns about the port being used by the Chinese military have not resonated in Peru, which has welcomed the prospect of a high-tech hub attracting investment to the region."

The Chancay Port is just one example. Numerous other China-Latin America projects show positive results as well. For example, the Belo Monte hydropower project in Brazil, which involves building a large dam as well as long-distance transportation of the electricity generated, powers industrial hubs and has also addressed electricity shortage for over 22 million Brazilians.

An aerial drone photo shows the Chancay Port in Peru, June 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

A case of projection

According to some media analysis, China builds ports overseas to serve "military purposes" or prepare for potential Western boycotts. However, the Chancay Port has not just strengthened trade ties between China and Latin America but also taken regional connectivity and economic integration to the next level.

The U.S., which has a global network of naval bases, often projects its own practices onto China, alleging that Chinese-built ports aim to expand military power or encroach on the U.S. sphere of influence.

With its cold-war mindset, the U.S. views nearly all of China's overseas infrastructure projects in a negative way. For example, the Port City Colombo project in Sri Lanka, which will create a development hub on reclaimed land, is labeled as a "naval base" for China; the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia and the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya are painted as "debt traps."

For society to prosper, countries need to choose openness over isolation, cooperation over confrontation and shared prosperity over dominance. China welcomes all initiatives that can contribute to development and encourages the international community, including the United States, to increase their input to help developing countries. A more objective perception of China-Latin America cooperation will help the U.S. better shoulder its responsibilities as a major country and contribute more to global prosperity.

Mei Xingong is a commentator on international affairs for CGTN.