- The US State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs expressed concern that Peru could lose oversight of the Chancay port, citing "predatory Chinese owners" and stating that "cheap Chinese money costs sovereignty," according to a social media post.
- The Chancay port, a $1.3 billion project and part of China's Belt and Road initiative, is controlled by China's state-owned shipping and logistics company Cosco, which dismissed US claims, saying the port remains "under the jurisdiction, sovereignty and control of Peruvian authorities."
- A Peruvian court ruling on January 29 ordered regulators to refrain from overseeing the port, prompting Ositran, the regulator, to appeal, with President Verónica Zambrano stating that Cosco Shipping "would be the only company providing services to the public that could not be supervised," according to a local radio station.
JUSTICE MATTERS
NPR and The Associated Press frame the story with a focus on the U.S. State Department's warning, using words like "predatory Chinese owners" and "cheap Chinese money costs sovereignty", while other outlets like Al Jazeera and Reuters provide more nuanced coverage, quoting Peruvian officials and experts, and highlighting the complexities of China's investment in the region. This framing obscures the perspectives of Peruvian workers, local communities, and the historical context of U.S. intervention in Latin America. By centering the voices of U.S. officials, NPR and The Associated Press downplay the agency of Peruvian authorities and the potential benefits of Chinese investment, instead emphasizing the threat to Peru's sovereignty.
Cross-referenced with: NPR
