THE HAGUE - China is increasingly explicitly present in the Caribbean part of the Netherlands. The subtle influence is mainly played through Chinese associations.
No, it is not the case that the Chinese are systematically encapsulating the Dutch islands as they did with African countries, but there are some parallels, Tycho de Feijter of The Hague Center for Strategic Studies (HCSS) finds in a study that was published in the Atlantic Perspective magazine. China fosters sympathy and understanding for the cause through a mix of instruments - from corporate investments to gifts distributed through existing Chinese associations.
At some point, bills are often presented for such Chinese assistance. That could be a pro-Chinese voice in some international organizations. Think of a vote in the World Health Organization (WHO) about how China alarmed the world about coronavirus. Then you give generous China the benefit of the doubt.
Tycho de Feijter of The Hague Center for Strategic Studies (HCSS)
Why would the Chinese want to serve the Antilles? "They are in the backyard of the United States, their big rival," says De Feijter. “Bullying Americans is part of it. It is important for the Chinese to know which commercial initiatives the Americans are taking in the region. But they also like to follow American fleet movements. Maybe someday they will put a radar station somewhere. For the time being, it is mainly about trade. There were plans to invest $ 120 million on Sint Maarten in a hotel and conference complex as a kind of support for Chinese trade in the region.”
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The Chinese presence is also signaled in the China Strategy of the Dutch government. It states that it is not so much economically, but "politically motivated". It is also worthwhile for the Chinese leaders to keep an eye on the Americans or diminish Taiwan's influence. The Caribbean countries of the kingdom have already agreed to involve the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs at an early stage in possible Chinese investment plans.
De Feijter saw Chinese ambitions somewhat slowed down by the corona crisis. For this, members of the Chinese associations on the islands were regularly invited for study or candy trips to China. “Something like that can have an effect if those people go into local politics. At the moment there are few Chinese in politics. But Chinese newcomers are significantly more active in those kinds of clubs and I cannot rule out that they will also want to sit on an island council.”
The researcher thinks that there is currently a tense situation between The Hague and Willemstad about the conditions for corona help from the Netherlands. “There is no immediate danger of the islands being taken over by the Chinese. There are not enough large investments for this. But if the Netherlands takes a firm stance and the Antilleans notice that the Chinese associations are ready with Covid-19 emergency aid packages and face masks, you risk more of that kind of assistance and therefore also Chinese influence. And suppose they are going to build a port and offer thousands of people work, then it will be a different story.”
Prime Minister Eugène Rhuggenaath confirms in a telephone conversation that China is interested in the region. Investments are welcome, especially if there are no more investments from American or European companies. Thank God we have investments from Dutch companies. We do see that traditional players such as Europe and North America are less active in this region. That creates space for other players. We are in talks with the Chinese at diplomatic and corporate level. They are welcome, but we do look at the risks: whether they bring their own employees here, for example. There is a danger of gaining a major influence that could become a risk to your country. In any case, it cannot be the case that you surrender more in the long term than you receive.”
