The Trump administration is preparing a significant expansion of spending on initiatives designed to counter Chinese influence worldwide, according to documents and notifications obtained by the Associated Press. The administration notified Congress late last week of plans to allocate $175.8 million for replacing outdated undersea telecommunications cables in the Caribbean and Central America with secure alternatives to prevent China from establishing control over critical infrastructure in the region.
The push represents a reversal from last year, when the administration had suspended many counter-China programs as part of broader budget and personnel reductions carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency. State Department officials have expressed concern that Chinese economic activities in the Western Hemisphere, including port ownership near the Panama Canal and investments in telecommunications infrastructure, pose risks to U.S. national security and economic prosperity. According to an internal State Department document, the administration is considering spending nearly half a billion dollars additional on China-focused programs across the Western Hemisphere, Africa and Asia.
The proposed initiatives extend beyond infrastructure replacement. Plans under consideration include establishing security operations centers in Argentina and Belize to monitor Chinese threats to critical infrastructure, implementing protections for Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay from alleged Chinese attempts to infiltrate ports and exploit resources, and developing technology to counter Chinese influence in the selection of a successor to the Dalai Lama. The administration also plans to counter Chinese efforts to export surveillance and censorship technology internationally and reduce international support for China’s space program.
The cable project specifically targets El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Haiti. The notification indicates the U.S. would not directly work with Nicaragua’s government despite its inclusion in the project scope. The administration has simultaneously focused on the Western Hemisphere through other means, including sanctions on Nicaragua and increased pressure on Cuba, while capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
These expansion plans come even as President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in September, with the administration presenting a mixed posture toward China that balances cooperation efforts with strategic competition.
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