China's Expanding Sphere of Influence into America's Backyard

Abstract

While the United States is focusing on the rise of China in the Asia-Pacific region, China has been quietly expanding its economic, political, and military influence into Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It is unclear at this time whether Chinas expansion into Latin America is in retaliation for the U.S. presence in the Pacific, a continued expansion of global ambitions, or benign development for economic growth and political stability. The United States will need to expand its frame of reference from stability in the Asia Pacific to trans-oceanic access utilizing all elements of national power to manage Chinas growing sphere of influence. The security of U.S. national interests in LAC will most likely involve not military strategies to constrain China, but the diplomatic and economic elements of national power to ensure political stability and continued economic progress in the region.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 30, 2015
Accession Number
AD1175876

Entities

People

  • Penny L. Harris

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Central America
  • Commerce
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of State
  • Geography
  • International Law
  • International Relations
  • Latin America
  • Naval Warfare
  • Panama Canal
  • Security
  • South China Sea
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • United States Southern Command
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Asian Economic Studies
  • Strategic Security Studies