US plans cybersecurity efforts in Belize as it seeks to push back against China

By Zoila Palma:  Belize is among the countries that could benefit from renewed U.S. efforts to counter China’s growing global influence, as the Trump administration considers nearly half a billion dollars in additional spending on programs across the Western Hemisphere, Africa and Asia, according to an internal State Department document obtained by The Associated Press.

The proposed initiatives include the revival of security operations centers in Argentina and Belize to monitor alleged Chinese threats to critical infrastructure and cyber platforms in the Western Hemisphere.

Other projects would focus on protecting countries including Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay from alleged Chinese efforts to influence port operations and exploit offshore fishing and critical mineral resources.

The U.S. State Department document reportedly says the United States must respond to the Chinese Communist Party’s growing economic, technological and diplomatic influence, which it argues undermines U.S. national interests.

One major initiative presented to Congress would provide funding for undersea telecommunications infrastructure in the Caribbean and Central America, with proposed projects benefiting El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Haiti. The program aims to replace outdated cables with secure alternatives from U.S. and trusted partners, while China has rejected the characterization of such infrastructure as a political or security issue.

The administration is also considering more than $340 million for over 50 anti-China projects worldwide, including efforts focused on cybersecurity, critical minerals, ports and telecommunications.

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