New 'Panama Canal' To Be Paid For By China

bill barilko

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Mar 4, 2009
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All of a piece with the worst news the planet has ever had.If the commies spend enough money it might actually happen but the Colombians will make sure the price tag is several hundred times higher than the original estimate-it's the Latin Way after all.

China and Colombia announce 'alternative Panama Canal'

Panama Canal Trade between Colombia and China has increased from $10m in 1980 to more than $5bn last year

Colombia has announced it is negotiating with China to build an alternative to the Panama Canal.

The proposed transport route is intended to promote the flow of goods between Asia and Latin America.

The plan is to create a "dry canal" where the Pacific port of Buenaventura would be linked by rail, across Colombia, to the Atlantic Coast.

Trade between Colombia and China has increased from $10m in 1980 to more than $5bn last year.

The announcement came from the Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos, who told the Financial Times that the project was "a real proposal... and it is quite advanced".

China has been increasing its involvement across Latin America to feed a growing need for raw materials and commodities.

According to BBC Bogota correspondent Jeremy McDermott, President Santos has departed from the emphasis on security of his predecessor Alvaro Uribe.

Mr Uribe's Democratic Security Policy, backed by US military aid, is credited with halving the numbers of Marxist rebels and pushing them into the more remote jungles and mountains.

Mr Santos is concentrating on what he calls "democratic prosperity", our correspondent says.

He hopes that economic development will address some of the root issues of the 46-year civil conflict, such as poverty and the lack of opportunities, which have pushed people into being rebels or into the lucrative drug trade, our correspondent says.
 

EagleSmack

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He hopes that economic development will address some of the root issues of the 46-year civil conflict, such as poverty and the lack of opportunities, which have pushed people into being rebels or into the lucrative drug trade, our correspondent says.

Because we all know that building a Railroad through the jungles of Columbia will pay more than working for a Drug Cartel.
 

Unforgiven

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What with the North West Passage opening up, the Chinese will need a new Panama canal. heh heh heh

It's like they look at the mistakes of the past and attempt to recreate them and call it progress.
 

EagleSmack

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"Dry canal" - trans-load cargo twice. Twice the opportunity for finger magnet magic. I think the plan's dead in the water even before shovel hits ground.

LMAO... I didn't even think of that!

Can you imagine how much cargo will dissapear along the Trans-Columbian Railroad?

The Chinese are not fools. Then again if the railroad is under protection of the Drug Cartels they won't miss a shipment.
 

bill barilko

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"Dry canal" - trans-load cargo twice. Twice the opportunity for finger magnet magic. I think the plan's dead in the water even before shovel hits ground.
I think the project will be built/run by 100% Chinese companies.

Thievery and corruption are as commonplace in China as Latin America-if the Chinese find the right people to bribe-and pay enough-then there'll be much smoother sailing.
 

EagleSmack

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I think the project will be built/run by 100% Chinese companies.

Thievery and corruption are as commonplace in China as Latin America-if the Chinese find the right people to bribe-and pay enough-then there'll be much smoother sailing.

Yes indeed, and they will be paying the drug cartels. The Government cannot protect a railroad... the cartels can though.
 

bill barilko

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Yes indeed, and they will be paying the drug cartels. The Government cannot protect a railroad... the cartels can though.
I see you've never been to Colombia/have NFC about how the place is run.

FYI-The drug cartels of the past are essentially finished/have been for some time.

The new players are much smaller/more violent but have little political backing/are little more than bandits in the jungle-albeit well armed mobile and well off bandits.

Certainly drugs from Colombia will find their way to China we're seeing this already but again China and corruption are old old friends.