China Works to Expand Influence in Caribbean

China seeks to expand its influence in the Caribbean through offering foreign aid and government loans to developing nations, the New York Times reported Sunday.

By backing countries such as Jamaica and Cuba, Beijing hopes to leverage its regional influence to gain support for China’s geopolitical aims. 

"There are a lot of reinforcing reasons that go beyond balance sheets," Robert Ellis, research professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute, told the New York Times. "China understands intuitively the strategic importance of that space."