The United States would be seeking to strengthen its presence in Latin America and would have set its sights on the port of San Antonio, in the Valparaíso region, as a strategic response to the Chancay megaport in Peru, financed with Chinese capital.
According to T13 a delegation of American investors will travel to Chile in the coming weeks to evaluate a possible participation in the modernization of this important port Chilean.
The arrival of technology investors, managed by the American investment bank Development Finance Corporationoccurs in a context of rising tensions between the United States and China. During a recent conversation between diplomatic representatives of both countries, Kurt Campbellundersecretary of the State Department, expressed American interest in promote technological investments in Chile.
Along these lines, the Chilean undersecretary, Glory of the Fountainhighlighted ports as a priority, which resonated with the State Department due to the advance of the Chinese port in Peru.
“The United States wants to promote technological investments in the region, and Chile has a strategic position in the Pacific“said a US diplomatic official, reported the aforementioned media.
Port of San Antonio seeks to attract capital
The port of San Antonio began a process of opening towards foreign companies through a “information requirement” related to its future modernization. This step seeks to attract capital that can turn the port into a key player in transpacific trade.
The investors’ visit also coincides with the Bloomberg report which ensures that the elected president of the United States, Donald Trumpplans to impose tariffs of up to 60% on goods exported from the port of Chancay in Peru.
This measure would be part of its strategy to counteract China’s advance in the region and could benefit Chile. “The Trump administration is evaluating strategic decisions to strengthen its allies in Latin America,” the outlet reported.
China’s relationship with Peru, visible in the recent protocol events in Lima in the context of APEC, reinforces the urgency of the United States to establish strong alliances in the region.
In the coming weeks, the Chilean embassy in Washington DC has scheduled a coordination meeting to specify the final date for the arrival of the US delegation to San Antonio. The mission seeks to evaluate first-hand investment possibilities and strengthen bilateral ties in a scenario marked by global trade disputes.
Other markets and foster a more integrated technological landscape across Latin America, ultimately driving economic growth.
Thank you for joining us today. I’m thrilled to have you both on the show. Let’s start with some background information. Could you please introduce yourselves and provide us with a brief overview of your respective fields of expertise?
Guest 1: Sure, my name is Gloria del Río, and I am the Chilean Undersecretary of Foreign Investment. I have been working in this field for over a decade, primarily focusing on attracting foreign investment to Chile.
Guest 2: I’m Kurt Campbell, the United States Undersecretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific. I’ve spent most of my career studying and working on US-Asian relations, with a particular focus on China’s growing influence in the region.
Host: Thank you both for joining us. Our topic today is the recent news about the US interest in the port of San Antonio in Chile and the potential implications of this for Latin America.
To begin, could you both share your thoughts on why the US is looking to strengthen its presence in Latin America, particularly in regards to the port of San Antonio?
Guest 1: Certainly, the port of San Antonio is strategically located in the Valparaíso region, which gives it an advantageous position for transpacific trade. With the rise of tensions between the US and China, it’s important for us to focus on deepening our relationships with allies like the US and promoting investment in key infrastructure projects like ports.
Guest 2: From the US perspective, we are always looking to promote our trade and commercial interests globally. In recent years, we’ve seen China make significant investments in Latin America, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative. We want to balance that out by increasing our own presence in the region and supporting economic partnerships that align with our values and interests.
Host: That makes sense. Moving on to the role of technology investments in promoting these goals, how does Chile’s position as a hub for technological innovation play into these plans?
Guest 1: Chile is known for its innovative startups and tech-focused ecosystem, which makes it an attractive destination for foreign investment. By investing in ports like San Antonio, we can enhance our connectivity to
