February 18, 2025
As China appears to gain a greater foothold in the Caribbean, a group of very worried congressional representatives has written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging Washington to pay greater attention to the region, or its main superpower rival will gain even greater ground and influence.
This is as regional leaders get ready to meet in the Eastern Caribbean nation of Barbados this week. Issues relating to the recent change in administration in the US will be at the forefront of deliberations. The three-day meeting starts on Wednesday.
For the group that includes representative Joaquin Castro of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, the US is not paying enough attention to the region and could start a correction course by at least sending a high-level delegation to the summit to engage leaders formally. All 15 member nations and five of the six associate members, Bermuda and The Cayman Islands, will attend the conference, the first of the two mandatory meetings slated for each year.
The congressional representatives say time is running out for the US as China moves in, and the way to counter this is to engage the region formally and at a high enough level.
“Continued US support for economic development, natural disaster resilience, and democratic governance is crucial to provide an alternative to China’s pernicious model in the CARICOM area, during a year with six national elections – including in two Taiwan-allied states – in the region,” the letter stated. “The meeting will provide the United States the opportunity to deepen its commitment to our mutually beneficial diplomatic, energy, economic, and security ties with partners in the Caribbean region.”
U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY).
Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
The missive to Rubio was initialed by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere; U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, a member of Foreign Affairs; U.S. Rep. Yvette Clark, co-chair of the Congressional Caribbean Caucus; and U.S. Rep. Stacey Plaskett.
The concerned lawmakers are reminding Washington that the Caribbean is right in the US backyard-just off Florida- and should attract the attention it deserves because of trade, security, and other matters.
Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) speaks onstage during the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Sept. 23, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
“Caribbean is a key pillar of US national security. As the third border of the United States, the Caribbean plays an indispensable role in addressing regional challenges, from countering illicit drug trafficking to curbing irregular migration and human smuggling. The Caribbean is essential to US trade and energy security, serving as a crucial hub for shipping lanes and a strategic partner in diversifying energy sources,” stated the letter.
As the work week began and preparations heightened for the summit, it was unclear who would lead an American delegation to the summit, if any. For its part, the US has engaged the region at the highest levels over the decades, from President Reagan in the 80s to Clinton in 1997 to Obama in 2009. Former Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met leaders such as Hilary Clinton. However, the fear of the Congress representatives appears to be explicitly linked to China’s growing influence in the region while the US is otherwise engaged.
“It is a region where the United States remains the number one trading partner and welcomes millions of US citizens annually, while a vibrant Caribbean diaspora here in the United States solidifies our economic and cultural bridges. Bolstering cooperation with, and the capacity of, our Caribbean partners through high-level engagement serves as a force multiplier for the region’s litany of US national security and economic priorities. “Sustained high-level US engagement is necessary to keep coercion at bay.”
Regional leaders like Guyanese President Irfaan Ali have suggested that China and its businessmen are way more aggressive than Americans. They snap up most of the billion-dollar project opportunities in the region while governments struggle to get the attention of Washington and Congress.