The People’s Republic of China’s ‘Iron Curtain’ continues to rise around the world, including in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres, where Latin American countries like President Javier Milei’s Argentina must choose whether they want to work with the oppressive Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or oppose free trade-friendly governments like the U.S., and stiff arm President Donald Trump’s newly coined “Donroe Doctrine.”
President Milei, who recently espoused his staunch anti-communism position at the CPAC Hungary conference in Budapest, appears to be on the verge of welcoming in Chinese-backed companies to dredge the Via Navegable Troncal (VNT) waterway over American-backed companies, even after President Donald Trump extended Argentina an election-saving $20 Billion line of credit to help the cash-strapped country get back on its feet.
The VNT waterway is a major thoroughfare that stretches from Paraguay and Argentina to Brazil and connects more than 100 inland ports, handling an annual 100 million tons of cargo, and moves 80% of La Albiceleste’s annual imports and exports.
“We must put an end to the garbage of socialism once and for all…“New winds of freedom are sweeping through the world.” said Milei during the 2024 CPAC Buenos Aires event.
But while Milei talks the big game against the threat of Communism, could his rhetoric be perceived as hypocritical if he allows a consortium of CCP-backed companies to dredge his country's most important waterway, and probably open Argentina up to Chinese intelligence surveillance in the process?
Remember, the bulk of the region’s agriculture and mineral products is transported on this vital waterway.According to the U.S. Congress, China has been focused on manipulating and completely controlling global mineral supplies. This is a national, global security threat to the U.S. and Argentina, not to mention all of Latin America.
In response to The Floridian's request for comment. Rep. Brian Mast (R), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC), said that it was "unacceptable" for Argentina to sidestep U.S. companies with CCP-aligned companies.
“United States just assisted them with $20 billion, and to not allow U.S. companies go to work in their ports and their waterways, and dredging, or anything else is unacceptable for us,” said Rep. Brian Mast, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC).
The U.S. and President Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine”
It goes without saying that any Chinese presence in the Western and Southern hemispheres poses a significant national security threat to the United States.
During the recent “Shield of the Americas” conference in Doral, Florida, both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed their concerns about China’s increasing infrastructure creep into neighboring countries.
Enter the ‘Donroe Doctrine.
While an State Department official did acknowledge receiving our official request comment, a formal response for comment has not been sent.
Secretary Rubio has also directecly received the request for comment.
The billion-dollar VNT dredging project is of great interest to the U.S., considering that the Trump administration has clearly signaled that it looks to increase investments in Argentina.
U.S. companies stand to earn an estimated $4 billion in contracts.
President Milei has also wanted to attract US investments, so why wouldn’t he engage the US on this dredging project instead of Communist China?
A deal with the U.S. could create a domino effect in the region where other countries like Paraguay and Uruguay may follow Milei’s lead and partner up with the Trump administration and not the CCP.
From China With Love
China’s link to the Western and Southern Hemispheres via the VNT is Belgium company Jan De Nul (JDN), a behemoth global building company.
Jan De Nul is positioning itself to possibly take sole control of the project and has partnered up with Argentina’s Servimagnus, the country's largest dredging company, which has deep, historically significant ties to Chinese companies.
One of those CCP-aligned companies is China Communications Construction Company ( CCCC ), which is not only a subsidiary of Shanghai Dredging but has been the tip of the spear of China’s Belt & Road global initiative.
In 2021, the Council on Foreign Relations found that Communist China’s Belt & Road posed “ significant risks for U.S. economic, political, climate change, security, and health interests.”
The CCCC openly boasts on its website about its leadership role in developing its country’s BRI.
In addition, JDN has three other direct ties to the CCP—China Merchants Logistics Group, Tianjin Port Masters Log Co. LTD, and Tianjin Victory Logistics Group.
The VNT waterway project has become another East vs West, Communism vs. Capitalism geopolitical challenge.
Milei, who once aspired to play professional Futbol (Soccer) in Argentina, could be on the verge of scoring an “Own Goal” against Argentina and his political career, if he aligns himself with Communist China’s global domination efforts.
In the end, Trump may show Milei a “Red Card” he won’t be able to come back from.
