Ports of Influence: China's Strategic Expansion Across Latin America

While much attention is paid to China's naval activities in the South China Sea or the Western Pacific, a quieter and equally strategic campaign is underway thousands of miles from Beijing—across Latin America. Through a network of port construction, commercial acquisitions, and opaque agreements, China is steadily building the foundation for potential logistical, informational, and naval access spanning from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and through the Caribbean. This effort, largely under the radar of public discourse, raises critical questions about the future of maritime and multi-domain influence in the Western Hemisphere.

Beyond the Canal: A Wider Web of Strategic Access

Chinese state-owned firms, including China Merchants Port and COSCO, now have stakes in over 30 ports across Latin America and the Caribbean—from Latin America's southern cone up through Mexico and into island nations like Jamaica and the Bahamas. While U.S. policymakers have focused heavily on the Panama Canal zone, Chinese involvement is far broader and more diverse. Notable examples include Kingston in Jamaica—controlled by China Merchants and ranked among the highest in regional risk due to its proximity to U.S. bases; and Manzanillo and Veracruz in Mexico, both major hubs for U.S.-linked trade and Chinese logistics. In the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, Chinese-operated terminals were constructed under BRI-era loans and are now deeply embedded in the regional maritime landscape.

One of the most visible developments remains the Chinese state-owned enterprise COSCO's operation of Chancay Port in Peru, which opened in late 2024. Touted as a commercial gateway for Latin American exports to China, the port offers deep-water berthing, exclusive operational control, and logistical throughput that could support more than just container ships. With Chinese-designed cranes, warehousing systems, proprietary IT infrastructure, and potential satellite relay capabilities, Chancay resembles other COSCO-operated ports like Piraeus or Gwadar—optimized for rapid throughput but built with dual-use and multi-domain potential.