【By Chen Sijia, Observers Network】"The US is eyeing Chinese port investments." According to a report by Reuters on September 16, the US government is seeking to weaken the influence of Chinese companies in global ports, attempting to place more "strategic docks" under Western control. According to several informed sources, the White House is considering supporting Western private companies buying shares in Chinese-owned ports to compete for key waterways.

Three informed sources said that President Trump wants to expand the US's maritime influence, and officials in the Trump administration believe that the US is too dependent on foreign ships and ports, with the current commercial fleet unable to provide logistical support for the military during wartime.

Last year, the Council on Foreign Relations released a report stating that as of August 2024, China had invested in 129 port projects globally. The US Navy estimates that China's shipbuilding capacity is more than 230 times that of the US, and the US may take decades to catch up. Officials in the Trump administration have used this to stoke the "China threat," claiming that in the event of a conflict, "the US would be at a disadvantage."

According to the information from the informed sources, the Trump administration has targeted Chinese enterprises' ports in regions such as the Mediterranean and the Caribbean Sea, with the White House considering options including supporting American or other Western private companies to purchase shares. These sources did not mention any specific companies, but cited the example of BlackRock proposing to acquire the port assets of Cheung Kong (Holdings) in 23 countries owned by Li Ka-shing.

In Greece, the US plans to focus on Chinese interests in the Port of Piraeus, located in the eastern Mediterranean, which is one of the key hubs connecting trade routes between Europe, Africa, and Asia. COSCO Shipping Group holds 67% of the shares in the Piraeus Port Authority, and some sources said that some Chinese investors are concerned that the US government may target Chinese businesses in Greece.

However, Greek officials previously told Reuters that they had not heard of any plans to change the control of the Piraeus Port.

Piraeus Port, Greece, Visual China

The US Federal Maritime Commission had initiated an examination of seven maritime chokepoints in March, including the Strait of Gibraltar, a critical passage connecting the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Two sources said that Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez has been seeking to deepen trade relations with China, which has raised concerns in the US about China's access to Spanish ports.

In response, a spokesperson for the Spanish Foreign Ministry said: "We are not aware of any so-called concerns or contacts from third parties, and therefore it is not appropriate to make comments." A spokesperson for the Spanish Port Authority stated that COSCO Shipping has the right to operate container terminals in Valencia and Bilbao.

In the Caribbean, Kingston Port in Jamaica, due to its geographical location and deep-water port facilities, has become an important maritime transshipment hub. Informed sources said that the US is also concerned about China's investment in Kingston Port. In June, the US think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies released a report claiming that China's investment in Kingston Port poses a "major security risk" to the US.

Jamaican former Prime Minister Bruce Golding said: "I suspect that the US will increasingly pressure us to reduce our growing ties with China."

Regarding the related reports, a spokesperson for the Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that they were unaware of any communication or request from the US regarding "weakening China's maritime influence."

Reuters noted that the White House and the US Treasury Department did not comment on the report. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States stated that China conducts normal cooperation with other countries within the framework of international law, and "China has always firmly opposed illegal, unreasonable unilateral sanctions and so-called long-arm jurisdiction, as well as actions that infringe upon and damage the legitimate rights and interests of other countries through economic coercion, hegemonism, and bullying."

Since Trump took office, he has taken many measures to "enhance the US maritime influence." In April this year, Trump signed an executive order requiring all US government agencies to develop plans to revitalize the shipbuilding industry. The Trump administration is also studying a plan to establish a ship registration office in the U.S. Virgin Islands, aiming to attract merchant ships to fly the American flag.

Additionally, the US government proposed a policy of imposing high port fees on ships manufactured or operated by China. Starting October 14 this year, the US will charge a so-called "maritime service fee" of $50 per net ton for any ship operated by a Chinese operator or owned by a Chinese entity. This amount will increase by $30 annually for three years, reaching $140 per net ton by 2028.

Analysts point out that the US government is trying to force companies to build ships in the US and stop using Chinese ships by collecting port fees and a package of tariffs on Chinese-made equipment.

Regarding the US's attempt to suppress China's shipping industry, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, previously stated that the development of China's shipbuilding industry is the result of corporate technological innovation and active participation in market competition, and has made an important contribution to helping global trade development and ensuring the stable and safe operation of the global supply chain.

Several US research reports show that the US shipbuilding industry lost its competitive edge years ago due to excessive protection, and the US blaming China for its own problems lacks factual basis and goes against economic common sense.

The US's unilateralist and protectionist approach is unpopular, only increasing global shipping costs, disrupting the stability of global production and supply chains, harming the interests of countries around the world, and ultimately failing to revive the US shipbuilding industry.

This article is an exclusive article from Observers Network. Without permission, it cannot be reprinted.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7550704676899979815/

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