North Miami-Dade News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hill published a joint opinion article today by Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, and Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO), Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, on strengthening the relationship between the United States and Latin America.

The article emphasizes the need for the U.S. to seize the moment to strengthen alliances in Latin America amid China's growing global influence.

"As China’s malign influence continues to grow worldwide, it is vital that the United States fosters our strategic alliances in our neighborhood," they wrote. "This will help move our strategic supply chains out of China and into this hemisphere."

Salazar and Smith noted recent leadership changes in several Latin American governments that align more closely with U.S. values. They argue that improved ties with these nations will serve as a crucial counterbalance to China, promoting national and economic security.

"If we do not act now, we risk ceding our dominance in the Western Hemisphere to one of our greatest adversaries," they warned.

China has expanded its influence in Latin America through significant investments in infrastructure, trade agreements, and development projects over recent decades. Trade between China and Latin America surged from $12 billion in 2000 to $450 billion in 2022.

"China has eclipsed the United States as the region's main economic partner," they stated. "With greater financial ties comes increased political influence."

While China engages these nations with debt-laden infrastructure investments, Salazar and Smith advocate for mutually beneficial economic relationships led by the U.S., emphasizing freedom, development, and democracy.

"U.S. trade policy should reward countries whose leaders drive changes aligned with our values rather than those of communist China," they said.

The lawmakers highlighted recent legislation approved by the Ways and Means Committee aimed at renewing the Generalized System of Preferences with significant reforms. These include new eligibility criteria requiring fair treatment of U.S. agricultural exports and excluding nations with growing military and economic ties to China.

"These common-sense reforms are designed to foster relationships with good-faith economic partners while countering China's influence," they wrote.

They also stressed reducing dependence on Chinese imports for critical supplies like medicine and food as essential for maintaining independence.

"It is crucial that Congress uses all tools at its disposal to reestablish these supply chains within the Western Hemisphere," they argued.

Citing abuses by Chinese companies circumventing U.S. tariffs through de minimis exceptions, Salazar and Smith pushed for legislation addressing these issues to repatriate manufacturing jobs back to the hemisphere.

"Our philosophy is simple: build, supply, manufacture what we can domestically; what we cannot should be moved closer to allied nations," they explained.

Furthermore, they urged exploring opportunities to expand existing agreements within Latin America to open new markets for U.S.-made products using models like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Latin American leaders have expressed a preference for working with the U.S., according to Salazar and Smith's official visits over recent years.

"We must show them we stand with them both in words and actions," they concluded.

Strong relations with Latin American countries hold strategic importance for the United States. By deepening alliances within Latin America and the Caribbean through specific strategies, Salazar and Smith believe it is possible to mitigate China's expanding footprint while safeguarding U.S interests in this hemisphere.

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