From CNSNews,com:

China’s growing influence in Latin America forms part of a “grand strategy” to counter U.S. dominance and eventually replace America as the world’s most powerful nation, U.S. lawmakers have been told.

Officials and experts testifying before a House subcommittee hearing this week used different terms to describe the gravity of the challenge posed to the U.S. by Chinese actions in the Western Hemisphere, but they generally agreed that Washington needs to respond.

Lawmakers heard about Beijing’s growing economic and political influence in South America and the Caribbean, developments described as “worrisome” by Peter Brookes, director of the Asian Studies Center at the Heritage Foundation.

China also is expanding its military-to-military contacts in the region, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega told the panel. He cited reports of 20 visits to Latin America and the Caribbean by national-level Chinese defense officials, and nine such visits in the opposite direction.