Thread by @jseldin

#LatAm, #SouthAmerica "there are adversaries who are taking advantage of this region every single day, right in our neighborhood" @Southcom General Laura Richardson told #AspenSecurity

"We need to strengthen our partnerships"

"#China is playing chess, they have a long-term view" per @Southcom's Gen Richardson, noting 21 countries in #LatAm, #SouthAmerica have signed onto the Belt 7 Road Initiative

"These countries are starving for investment..."

Many of these countries will get caught in #China's debt trap - "eventually they either have to pay back or other things they have to give up in terms of their sovereignty" per @Southcom's Gen Richardson

#China's investment targets in #LatAm include "deepwater ports, telecommunications, space, SIGINT, these infrastructure projects often under the guise for economic development or research..." per @Southcom's Gen Richardson

Example of #China's projects on either side of the #PanamaCanal - "They look like civilian companies-they're state-owned enterprises that could be used for dual-use & could be quickly be turned over to a military capability if they needed that" per @Southcom's Gen Richardson

"It's very concerning" per @Southcom's Gen Richardson "When you talk abt the rules-based int'l order, the PRC, #China, would like to replace the #United States...They're well on their way to try to do that"

"We need to meet w/them & we need to have the right leaders meet w/them" per @Southcom's Gen Richardson on #LatAm #SouthAmerica

"Our competitors are picking up the phone-Xi Jinping is picking up the phone & calling these leaders & mtg w/them & corresponding w/them all the time"

"The PRC [#China] is playing chess - #Russia is playing checkers" in #LatAm, per @Southcom's Gen Richardson

"They have short terms goals as far as undermining our democracy, causing destabilization through the information environment - off the charts in this region..."

"...Over 30 million followers on social media - SputnikMundo, RussiaToday Espanol" per @Southcom's Gen Richardson on #Russia info ops in #LatAm

"We are not in competition in that space - we are in conflict"