Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NASSAU1601
2005-09-08 18:46:00
SECRET
Embassy Nassau
Cable title:  

CHINESE ACTIVITIES IN THE BAHAMAS

Tags:  ECON PREL ETRD ETTC EINV ENRG EAGR EFIN PHUM EMIN CH BF ESENV 
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 NASSAU 001601 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM KAYE LEE, WHA/PCP JEFF BISCHOFF, WHA/EPSC
LAWRENCE GUMBINER, WHA/CAR BILL BENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2025
TAGS: ECON PREL ETRD ETTC EINV ENRG EAGR EFIN PHUM EMIN CH BF ESENV
SUBJECT: CHINESE ACTIVITIES IN THE BAHAMAS

REF: SECSTATE 138041

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Brent Hardt, Reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 NASSAU 001601

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM KAYE LEE, WHA/PCP JEFF BISCHOFF, WHA/EPSC
LAWRENCE GUMBINER, WHA/CAR BILL BENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2025
TAGS: ECON PREL ETRD ETTC EINV ENRG EAGR EFIN PHUM EMIN CH BF ESENV
SUBJECT: CHINESE ACTIVITIES IN THE BAHAMAS

REF: SECSTATE 138041

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Brent Hardt, Reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Chinese presence in The Bahamas has been
steadily expanding since the two countries established
diplomatic relations in 1997. The PRC and the GCOB have
exchanged high-level delegations to discuss the full range of
international political issues, explore economic
opportunities and develop cultural programs. Prime Minister
Perry Christie paid an official visit to Beijing in August
2004, when the Chinese government promised $30 million to
build a 15,000-seat national sports stadium in The Bahamas.
Hong Kong-based shipping giant Hutchison Whampoa has
substantial holdings on the island of Grand Bahama, including
Freeport Container Port, and has reportedly invested $1
billion in The Bahamas in the last ten years. More
investment is planned. The Bahamian press gives generally
positive coverage to China and interprets the growing
China-Bahamas relationship as a sign of The Bahamas' growing
international engagement. END SUMMARY.


Investment: China's Presence on Grand Bahama
--------------


2. (C) According to the Foreign Ministry, current PRC
investment in The Bahamas exceeds $1 billion. Existing and
planned investments focus heavily on the shipping industry in
Grand Bahama, particularly the holdings of Hong Kong-based
shipping giant Hutchison Whampoa. The PRC's investment arm,
China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC),
has made multiple visits to The Bahamas and plans to build a
logistics center here to provide Chinese investors with
financial and regulatory assistance.



3. (C) Key Chinese direct investments in The Bahamas,
present and planned, include:

-- Hutchison Whampoa's subsidiary Hutchison Port Holdings
owns 50 percent of Freeport Harbour Company, the Freeport
Container Port, the Grand Bahama International Airport
Company, and the Lucayan Harbour Cruise Facilities, among
other investments. The other 50 percent of those enterprises
is owned by the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the
quasi-governmental entity that oversees the free trade zone.
Hutchison launched its development and expansion in Freeport
in 1994; the total value of its current holdings is estimated
to exceed $1 billion. Freeport is the closest offshore port
to the east coast of the U.S.

--A CITIC subsidiary, CITIC Technologies, Inc., has announced
plans to build a distribution center in Freeport for its
electronic goods.

--The China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) is owned by the
PRC and is one of the world's largest shipping companies.
COSCO has proposed expanding the dry dock ship repair
facilities in Freeport. The GCOB and COSCO are in
negotiations for the acquisition of the property for the
dry-dock facility.

--According to the Foreign Ministry, COSCO has at least three
of its ships registered under the Bahamian flag, but has
formed a ship leasing company and plans to locally register
an additional 10 to 40 ships.

--Chinese company Jin De Li (the Jindeli Group) is in
discussion with the GCOB to establish a subsidiary in The
Bahamas to build a souvenir and handicraft factory. Company
representatives have visited The Bahamas, and formal
proposals are under consideration.


4. (C) Portfolio investment. Under Bahamian law, foreign
entities may not own the securities listed on the small
Bahamian stock market. Post is unaware of any Chinese
investments outside of productive sectors.


5. (C) Increase in Investment Support. In addition to the
planned Logistics Center, the PRC has given at least two
small grants ($250,000) to the GCOB for various technical,
agricultural, and handicraft projects at the request of the
GCOB. The PRC Ministry of Commerce maintains an "Economic
and Commercial Counselor" for The Bahamas "to formulate and
implement specific policies and reform plans of foreign trade
and investment, and to work out and execute mid-term and
long-term import & export planning and development
strategies." The Counselor's website is
http://bf2.mofcom.gov.cn. The PRC is also a member of the
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB),subscribing 5.77% of CDB
total ordinary capital. The PRC has contributed $28 million
to the Special Development Fund, which provides concessional
loans to member countries.


Chinese Assistance: Stadium Diplomacy
--------------


6. (C) During an August 2004 state visit to Beijing by Prime
Minister Christie, the PRC pledged $30 million to build a
15,000-seat national sports stadium in Nassau. A Chinese
delegation visited Nassau in April 2005 to sign the final
contracts and to present its design proposal. Construction
is expected to begin in early 2006.


7. (C) The Chinese Embassy, one of only four foreign
embassies in Nassau, conveyed the PRC's cash donation of $1
million to the Bahamian Government in 2004 to aid in the
recovery from Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne.


High-Level Political Exchanges
--------------


8. (C) There is consistent contact between Bahamian and
Chinese Officials, who maintain active dialog on the full
range of international issues. Following is a list of
bilateral meetings with known areas of discussion since 2003:

-- In January 2003, Vice Premier Wu Yi visited The Bahamas as
part of a 30 member trade and economic delegation, meeting
with Governor General Dumont, PM Christie, and Deputy PM
Pratt. During the visit, the PRC presented the GCOB with a
$250,000 grant for technical, agricultural and handicraft
projects and thanked the GCOB for its support of the One
China policy. The GCOB said the talks involved international
issues and the pursuit of additional PRC investment in The
Bahamas, specifically noting discussions regarding "peace and
security on the Korean peninsula." During the visit, The
Bahamas sought the PRC's support for its WTO accession.

-- In April 2003, Vice-Minister of Communications Hong
Shanxiang visited The Bahamas. During the visit, the
countries signed an ocean shipping agreement in which The
Bahamas agreed to allow Chinese shipbuilders to join the
Bahamas ship registry. Bahamian officials refused to divulge
additional information about the visits, saying only that
discussions involved official Bahamian government business.

-- In August 2003, FM Mitchell and Minister of Transportation
Hanna-Martin traveled to Beijing. The PRC pledged to support
The Bahamas WTO accession and The Bahamas agreed to support
the One China policy. The PRC and the GCOB also signed a
cultural cooperation agreement. Minister Martin christened
the first Chinese-built boat to join the Bahamas register
under the ocean shipping agreement.

-- During an October 2003 trip to the PRC, FM Mitchell
reached agreement for a new Chinese embassy complex on prime
ocean-front property east of downtown Nassau. The new
embassy, if constructed as planned, will be the most
prominent and visible embassy in The Bahamas.

--A PRC delegation led by Vice-Minister of Commerce Xiaoqi
visited The Bahamas in April 2004 to discuss the possible
exchange of PRC support for The Bahamas WTO accession in
return for GCOB support for three WTO concessions for the
PRC: transition products specific safeguard mechanisms,
anti-dumping investigation method applied to non-economies,
and social restrictive measures on textile trade.

-- In August 2004, PM Christie, FM Mitchell and a delegation
of cabinet members and other officials visited the PRC and
met with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, Foreign
Minister Li Zhoaxing, Chinese National People's Committee
Chair Wu Bangguo and business officials. Wen Jaibao
expressed his appreciation to the GCOB for adhering to the
One China policy. The PRC also agreed to support the GCOB in
WTO negotiations in return for the GCOB's support of WTO
concessions for the PRC. The visit resulted in promises to
build a $30 million stadium in The Bahamas, and promises of
investment by CITIC, COSCO and Jin De Li. During the visit,
the GCOB agreed to close its consulate in Hong Kong and open
an embassy in Beijing, and promised to hold "unswervingly" to
the One China policy. The PRC and the GCOB signed three
agreements to promote economic and cultural cooperation: the
stadium agreement, an agreement broadening maritime
cooperation and an agreement on technical cooperation.

-- In February 2005, the PRC hosted the China-Caribbean
Economic & Trade Cooperation forum in Kingston. At the
forum, the GCOB signed a "Guiding Framework for Trade
Cooperation" and a Memorandum of Understanding designating
The Bahamas as an approved destination for Chinese tourists.


Attitudes toward Chinese Presence
--------------


9. (C) The GCOB's attitudes are extremely positive towards
the PRC. As one example, Foreign Minister Mitchell said that
expanding ties with China would help "urge The Bahamas away
from chronic dependence on the former colonial powers and
bring her into an interdependent relationship with new and
emerging powers." Similarly, PM Christie has stated that,
"China's development will make the world more balanced." The
official GCOB website says that the GCOB "cherishes" its
relationship with the PRC.


10. (C) The Bahamian population is broadly favorable toward
increased cultural ties between the PRC and The Bahamas.
Newspaper articles, scholarship competitions and other PRC
efforts have been well received. Specific cultural and
public outreach programs include athletic exchanges, dance
and choir group visits, and the award of scholarships to
Bahamian students. At the time of Prime Minister Christie's
August 2004 visit to China, a Nassau newspaper ran a series
of articles on the history and culture of China and held an
essay competition sponsored by the Chinese Embassy on the
topic "What a Small Country Like the Bahamas Can Learn From
China."


Military-to-Military Contacts and Security Concerns
-------------- --------------


11. (S) There is no known military contact or assistance
between the PRC and the small Royal Bahamas Defense Force,
but a military presence is possible upon completion of the
large new PRC embassy and potential increase in embassy
staffing. Other security concerns include possible
intelligence activities based in Freeport as the PRC
establishes a foothold approximately 55 miles from Florida.
CITIC and Ka-Shing's planned expansion on Grand Bahama,
combined with involvement in high-tech communications
equipment, create concern regarding monitoring of US military
training by Chinese intelligence from The Bahamas.
Additional security concerns arise from illegal migration
and/or trafficking of Chinese nationals through The Bahamas.
Illegal migration is currently under investigation by U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


Taiwan
--------------


12. (C) The Bahamas adheres to the One China policy and has
drawn down its contacts with Taiwan since recognizing the PRC
in 1997. At the same time, Bahamian officials also publicly
emphasize that The Bahamas does not support the use of force
against Taiwan.


Trade and Environment
--------------


13. (C) Bahamian Imports from China. According to the PRC
General Administration of Customs and UN Commodity Trade
Statistics (UN Comtrade),the Bahamas is the PRC's second
largest trading partner in the English-speaking Caribbean.
Bahamian imports of PRC goods totaled $62.86 million in 2002,
$121.71 million in 2003 and $98.68 million in 2004. The chief
imports are vessels, clothing, hats, shoes, toys and light
industry products, with vessels typically more than 70
percent of total imports. Imports from Hong Kong were an
additional $2.86 million in 2002, $1.86 million in 2003 and
$1.8 million in 2004. Imported items from Hong Kong include
pearls, textiles, toys and plastics.

-------------- ---
Bahamian Imports from China by Year
2002-2004
-------------- ---

2002 Ships, boats $49,107,720 78.1%
Mineral fuels, oils $5,377,899 8.6%
Iron or steel $3,301,632 5.3%
Other textiles $1,315,319 2.5%
Machinery/appliances $829,312 1.6%
Other $2,930,310 5.5%
2002 TOTAL $52,862,192 100.0%

2003 Ships, boats $78,589,760 64.6%
Mineral fuels, oils $31,027,524 25.5%
Iron or steel $6,929,573 5.7%
Other textiles $1,413,126 1.2%
Apparel $482,126 0.4%
Other commodities $3,275,460 2.7%
2003 TOTAL $121,717,888 100.0%

2004 Ships, boats $71,603,283 72.6%
Iron or steel $8,210,881 8.3%
Apparel $6,430,706 6.5%
Mineral fuels, oils $5,974,167 6.1%
Other textiles $1,915,557 1.9%
Other commodities $4,547,919 4.6%
2004 TOTAL $98,682,513 100.0%

-------------- --------------


14. (C) Bahamian Exports to China. UN Comtrade reports
Bahamian exports to the PRC of $58,157 in 2002, $781,236 in
2003 and $694,838 in 2004. While exports are almost entirely
in nickel, iron and steel, The Bahamas does not have the
natural resources to satisfy the PRC's demand for energy,
timber, steel, cement or other key industrial inputs.
Exports to Hong Kong were insignificant.


15. (C) Low Potential Environmental Degradation Due to Low
Volume. There is no known environmental degradation as a
result of Bahamian exports to the PRC. Post is unaware of
any Chinese efforts to address any environmental concerns.


16. (C) Post is unaware of any effort to create a
preferential trade arrangement.


The Bahamas Seeks Self-Interest and Non-U.S. Partner
-------------- --------------


17. (C) COMMENT: The China-Bahamas relationship fits within
the broader regional pattern of expanding Chinese activity
and success in its effort to supplant previous ties with
Taiwan in much of the Caribbean. However, the substantial
Chinese shipping and port presence gives The Bahamas
relationship an added strategic and economic importance.
Planned expansion of the PRC embassy, the new national
stadium and additional investment on Grand Bahama will help
continue to strengthen the relationship. The GCOB will
continue to seek access to Chinese foreign currency reserves,
lay a foundation for future Chinese tourism, and attempt to
diversify an economy almost completely dependent upon the
U.S. Despite claims to the contrary, PRC goals in The
Bahamas are unlikely to be primarily economic -- the Bahamian
market is too small and the natural resources too few.
Closer ties to The Bahamas will provide the PRC a dominant
shipping and cargo foothold close to the U.S., and potential
international support in a region of growing Chinese
influence. END COMMENT.
HARDT