ABSTRACT
In recent years, one of the strategic axes of China’s relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean has been infrastructure projects in the maritime transport sector. In this vein, the construction and leasing of seaports by Chinese companies in Central America and the Caribbean has grown. This chapter delves into the nature and meaning of China’s participation in seaports by examining the cases of Panama and Jamaica and the implications of China’s involvement. China’s expanding interests in Panamanian and Jamaican seaports reflect their importance as platforms of investment, connectivity, and development. Panama and Jamaica have welcomed Chinese involvement because it has held the potential to enhance their commercial, logistical, tourism, technological, and productive capacities. These cases share many similarities—both countries are small Caribbean countries, have ports with attractive features, and attract strong Chinese investor interest. Yet Chinese seaport activities in Panama and Jamaica cases have witnessed different outcomes because of varying political, legal, and corporate factors. For instance, in Panama’s case, political opposition to the extension of China’s lease to Balboa and Cristobal ports for another 25 years proved inconsequential, while in the case of Jamaica, the environmental concerns of nongovernmental organizations sank a Chinese port project in Goat Island.
