US worries over possible Chinese 'military base' in El Salvador
The Central American country officially cut ties with Taipei and established a formal alliance with Beijing on Tuesday, leaving Taiwan with just 17 nations that officially recognise its status.
While Taipei has accused Beijing of luring its allies away with generous aid offers, Washington sees the latest switch as not just a case of piling more pressure on the self-ruled island, but a move to shore up mainland China’s security and strategic planning ...
Last month, Jean Manes, the US ambassador to El Salvador had warned about China’s intentions to turn the La Union commercial port in El Salvador’s east into a “military base”, according to US-based MintPress News. “It is a strategic matter, and we all need to keep our eyes open to what is happening,” she said.
Last month, El Salvador Economy Minister Luz Estrella Rodriguez said Beijing was interested in reviving the port, in addition to investing in other areas of the country. She said Chinese companies such as state-owned Citic Group had been meeting with Salvadoran officials for several years about business opportunities not just at the port, but at the country’s international airport and its railways.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2160731/chinas-new-alliance-stirs-us-worries-over-military-base
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