China’s Coming for the Western Hemisphere and We’re Not Ready | Opinion

Bipartisan action is increasingly hard to come by, especially in a presidential election year. But one issue still manages to get attention on both sides of the aisle: China’s growing influence right here in the Americas. That is for good reason. In the first two decades of the 21st century, China’s trade with the region jumped 26-fold to $315 billion while it simultaneously enhanced influence in the technology and security domains. China has used its economic engagement to cement access to vital natural resources, such as lithium, or to push countries in the region to loosen ties with Taiwan. Why…