MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Uruguay hopes China will build and finance a deep-sea port on the Atlantic
Uruguay’s long standing dream of building a deep-water port in the east of the country could become a reality in coming days when China’s Prime Minister Wen Jiabao visits the country, according to the government financed newspaper La Republica. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rules“Out of region” Shanghai is indeed 19,000 kms from Buenos Aires! China's massive global grip in controlling a River Plate port will weigh heavily in the South Atlantic economy and security. Brazil indeed could have reason to be concerned.
Jun 08th, 2012 - 02:00 am - Link - Report abuse 0As we know, the Falkland Islands is key to just about all geo-political strategy in the South Atlantic and China has been reading the historical lesson closely. Example of such a lesson that China gleaned from the Falkland Islands war: “Geography compelled the extra-regional power to stage military operations across thousands of miles of ocean, where the local power enjoyed such advantages as proximity to the combat theater, abundant manpower and resources, and intimate familiarity with the surroundings.”
- http://the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2012/02/21/china%E2%80%99s-falkland-islands-lesson/
Argentina would not be happy about this
Jun 08th, 2012 - 05:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0Happy for your developement, Uruguay.
Jun 08th, 2012 - 09:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0Just be careful, though.
lf you stop stroking the tiger under its chin, it will eat you.
Chinese would do well to choose Uruguay over Argentina.
Jun 08th, 2012 - 10:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0Given the current tensions any port in Argentina would be a legitimate target.
JohnN
Jun 08th, 2012 - 02:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0China has been building these deep-sea ports all around Asia, purportedly to encircle India.
What I don’t get is how does building infrastructure in a foreign country improve your strategic reach, unless you fill it with military hardware.
When the US builds a base in Uzbekistan (or the like) they fill it with military personnel, aircraft and electronics which gives them a logistical platform and allows them to eavesdrop/intercept and so on. Clearly a strategic advantage.
But these Chinese ports would seem only to facilitate trade.
Am I missing something or do they harbour (get it?) other intent.
5 Condorito:
Jun 08th, 2012 - 03:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0With commercial and trade secrets being a highly sought-after currency, many Canadians are in little doubt that China spends a lot of time and has many spys dedicated to bringing commercially-valuable technology back to the their state-run companies. The Chinese spy net in Canada extends through businesses and universities mostly.
Security secrets important too but their “harvesters” work in a much more limited network. In Canada, Chinese security spys are controlled by the PRC Embassy and consulates. Recent case in Canada of a PRC honey-trap women who fronted as a Chinese news reporter getting involved with Canadian MP. Woman's disgruntled husband actually broke the news!
Estimates of Chinese PRC spies (commercial + security) are about 1,000 in Canada. Some think the emerging target for Chinese PRC spying is Latin America (link below).
Since a mega-port development is the key linch-pin of so much industry and enterprise, it would be a prize for building a long-term commercial spy network, as well as having some security spying benefits too. A port becomes a hub in a network stretching way back into the connecting countries such as Brazil.
Reference links:
Chinese spys in Canada:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_intelligence_activity_abroad#Canada
Chines spys in Latin America:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_intelligence_activity_abroad#Canada
John
Jun 08th, 2012 - 07:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There is a certain logic to that, but I would be inclined to think that it is just China securing a big construction contact for a Chinese company.
I am always slightly suspicious of the claims by one’s intelligence services about the activities of others’ intelligence services. They kind of have to big up the enemy.
I did a post grad at a British university and I was surprised by the quantity of Chinese phd and post doc students. The reason the Chinese govt pays for them to study is so they take their acquired knowhow back home. A very smart way to rapidly close the knowledge gap. They study so hard I doubt they have any time for any covert operations. Besides it is hard for a foreign student to get close to a sensitive project because of vetting procedures.
I did notice that in the evening, under cover of darkness they would creep around campus collecting wind-fall apples. When I enquired what for, they told me it was for making apple jelly and preserves. Hum.
When MI5, the first modern intelligence service, was formed in 1909, its sole purpose was to round up 1000s of German spies suspected of operating in the UK. The idea that the UK had be infiltrated came from a popular novel at the time and was based on nothing else more concrete. During the pre-war period MI5 managed to round up 6 German spies. Subsequent research has shown that in fact there were only about 6 German spies in the UK at the time.
if it is well built,
Jun 08th, 2012 - 07:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0the case may well be,
your port today,
our base tomorrow.
of the like .
7 Condorito:
Jun 08th, 2012 - 09:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Thanks - I shouldn't dwell on the Chinese-as-spies notion. I agree that its a slim chance, and if the new port is in Uruguay, that might be a plus for re-flagged Falklands Islands shipping.
Here's hoping Uruguay can finally pull off the old dream.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 01:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0The only problem Uruguay will have is the grip of the port unions, which if China is financing everything as this report suggests might be the case, will not be tolerated.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 10:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0That apart it is a fantastic opportunity for Uruguay and will further help to commercially distance the country from our despicable neighbours to the south.
It might even help with reducing the fiscal drag of all the government employees who have a strangle hold of 'no-service' over everyday living and hold the country back so much.
Presently, all port employees are government 'workers' but I hope and suspect that this will not be so if China have anything to do with it.
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