Caroline Vik was a senior advisor to the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. She played a central role in deterring aggression and rebalancing the U.S.–China trade relationship. Her arrival preempts the appointment of the United States ambassador to Jamaica nominee Kari Lake.
Lake created a diplomatic firestorm last month after disclosing to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing that she intends to counter China’s influence in Jamaica. Concerns were raised during the committee meeting about Chinese involvement in Jamaica’s port infrastructure and the expansion of Huawei telecommunications technology. One US official noted that there were potential risks related to data security, supply chain visibility, and regional stability. China’s description of Jamaica as a “strategic partner” also fuelled anxiety.
“There are massive concerns—not just from their strategy of taking a huge section of the ports, but also when you look at 5G and telecom, with Huawei expanding. It’s very concerning what could happen,” Lake said, based on a transcript from the meeting.
“You know, there are always strings attached with China. The question is: Do you want all of the information going through Huawei, where all of a sudden that information would be trickled back to the CCP and China?” she asked.
She noted that the country’s focus on rebuilding has created a lot of opportunity for US companies to come in and assist, instead of the continued increase of Chinese companies.
“From what I’ve been briefed on, some of the concerns are that when they’re controlling and seeing everything that’s coming in, it puts American security at great risk. When they have access to and control over everything coming into the country, there are huge risks. I think the Department of War is probably looking closely at that,” she said.
Prior to that committee meeting, the USS NIMITZ, one of the US’s biggest warships, visited the island and was docked at the Port of Kingston, which has benefited from huge investments from China.
Lake made it clear during the meeting that the US could not continue to watch as China makes huge moves right in their “front yard”.
China hit back through its embassy in Kingston, saying it would continue to be good friends and partners with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It defended its 53 years of diplomatic ties with Jamaica, which has seen Chinese companies investing over US$2.1 billion in Jamaica and creating more than 40,000 direct jobs.
China has made it clear that it intends to protect its interests following the announcement that US-based AECOM was to assess security at Kingston Wharves, Kingston Freeport and Montego Bay Freeport. The focus of the mission was to evaluate physical security, cargo systems, maritime operations, IT networks and workforce management based on the United States and international security standards.
