China in the Caribbean

Daniel Erikson writes in today's Miami Herald about the different incentives and pressures China is putting on Caribbean nations to drop their support for Taiwan. Sometimes that includes outright bribes.

• In 1997, the Bahamas and St. Lucia were rewarded with millions of dollars in trade and aid packages for granting diplomatic recognition to China.
• In 1998, China joined the Caribbean Development Bank, taking a 6 percent capital stake and establishing a special $1 million trust fund for Chinese experts to provide regional assistance.
• Most recently, the tiny island countries of Dominica and Grenada were both handsomely compensated by China for revoking longstanding support for Taiwan. Dominica fetched $112 million pledged over six years, while Grenada received support for rebuilding and expanding the national stadium for the 2007 Cricket World Cup, the construction of 2,000 housing units, a $1 million scholarship fund and $6 million in grants.

He also notes their play in the UN Security Council to pressure Haiti by using their veto in the UNSC over the UN peacekeeping mission. I previously wrote about that here and here. Earlier this week, the UN passed a compromise bill that extended the mandate to February 2006. Not quite the one year everyone but China was pushing for, but it means the UN force is in through the elections. Also, the UN increased the mission by 750 yesterday, but no word yet on where those troops will come from.