A US think tank has revealed that China operates or built over 30 ports across Latin America, prompting Washington to assess the growing threat to trade and naval dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

CSIS Report Reveals Hidden Maritime Influence

According to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), China’s footprint in Latin America’s maritime infrastructure is broader than previously understood. The report, shared in advance with the Financial Times, counted 31 active port projects across the region, from Mexico to Chile, more than double earlier US estimates.

Seven of these ports are run by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, while four additional projects have been cancelled and two remain inactive. The ports are strategically positioned near chokepoints, trade hubs, and military zones.

Key Ports Seen as High Risk to U.S.

CSIS identified Jamaica’s Kingston Port — controlled by China Merchants Port — as the most threatening to U.S. national security, due to its volume of US-bound trade and proximity to American naval assets.

Next on the risk list were Manzanillo and Veracruz in Mexico, both operated by CK Hutchison. “If Manzanillo were disrupted it would impose a cost of $134 million a day on the US economy,” said Henry Ziemer of CSIS. For Veracruz, the estimated cost stands at $63 million daily.

Military Dimensions and U.S. Alarm

The report warns that Chinese control could allow Beijing to deny US naval access or facilitate Chinese naval resupply in case of a future conflict. While port operations are ostensibly commercial, analysts like Evan Ellis from the U.S. Army War College caution that the People’s Liberation Army Navy views these assets as strategic leverage.

“There’s a broader strategy here,” Ellis stated. “A powerful Chinese state wants food and energy security — and if there’s a war with the US, it wants access to these ports.”

China Pushes Back Against Accusations

China has denied any strategic intent behind its port investments. Its Foreign Ministry said US claims about the Panama Canal are “spreading rumours and making trouble.” Yet Beijing reacted strongly to reports that CK Hutchison may sell its port assets to U.S.-linked BlackRock and the Mediterranean Shipping Company, launching an antitrust probe and calling the move “a betrayal.”

“The outrage in Chinese media over this deal shows how much strategic value Beijing places on port control,” Ziemer added. “These ports offer critical data on global cargo movement.”