Half a dozen Latin American countries have asked the United States for help in “resisting economic coercion” from China, said José W. Fernández, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, on Wednesday. The official provided an overview of the Democratic administration with less than two months remaining before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
During the four years of Democratic President Joe Biden’s term, the issue of China “has been fundamental, not only because many supply chains run” through that country but also because of “economic coercion issues,” Fernández said in a virtual press conference.
“We have worked with other countries to resist the economic coercion we have seen from China when some (…) want to make decisions that go against” the interests of the Asian giant, he added. According to Fernández, “more than 12” nations have approached the State Department seeking help to “prepare to resist that pressure,” although “they do not want their names made public.”
“Today, we have half a dozen countries in Latin America that are concerned about this and have come to consult with us,” he stated. The U.S. government has adhered to one principle: economic and national security often go hand in hand.
“We realized early on (…) that we could not solve problems solely using our own resources, but we also had to incorporate our allies, many of whom are in Latin America,” explained Fernández, who was born in Cuba. The United States, he noted, has “two competitive advantages”: its allies and the private sector.
Supply chains have been a priority in sectors such as semiconductors, critical minerals, and pharmaceuticals. The United States collaborates with countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama, which have been “essential” in “diversifying” supply chains, Fernández explained.
“We know that to reach our renewable and clean energy goals, we are going to need 42 times the lithium we use today,” and obtaining these minerals “in a responsible way” will be necessary, without neglecting “environmental goals,” he said in Spanish.
Overall, on an economic level, Latin America plays “a fundamental role” as it is “part of our shared neighborhood,” Fernández concluded, expressing hope that the good relationship will endure during Trump’s presidency.
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