US capture of Maduro could prompt caution in China’s courtship of Latin America

The United States’ audacious, and successful, operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from his fortified compound on Jan 3 could cause China to re-think its Latin America strategy. While the operation against Maduro can be seen as the US reasserting its dominance in the Western Hemisphere, Assoc Prof Dylan Loh said China will not give up its partners and strategic investments in Latin America. This is despite the US seeking to dislodge Beijing from the region. “The way I see it, the vectors for contestation between the US and China will only increase,” Prof Loh said. He added, however, that Beijing is unlikely to confront the US with hard power. “China will be more assertive, not in the military sense but certainly diplomatically,” he said.

Click here to read the article.