Faisal Mahmud
28 July 2026•Update: 28 July 2026
China on Tuesday criticized a reported US plan to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to counter Beijing’s growing influence in Latin America, Africa and Asia, saying international cooperation should not target any third party.
Responding to reports that the US State Department is preparing a major initiative to curb China’s influence in those regions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing opposed "forming exclusive groupings" and stressed that its partnerships were aimed at promoting shared development rather than geopolitical competition.
"China's cooperation with relevant countries and regions, especially with fellow developing countries, is not about wooing anyone or rivaling anyone, but for global peace, prosperity, international order and a community with a shared future for humanity," Lin said during a regular Foreign Ministry news conference.
Lin also defended China’s role in building international submarine fiber-optic cable networks after being asked about reported US concerns over Beijing’s involvement in undersea cable projects across the Americas and the Pacific.
He described international submarine cables as critical civilian infrastructure that underpins global internet connectivity and benefits people worldwide.
"Politicizing this issue and turning it into a security one will only disrupt normal international market rules, threaten global digital connectivity and cybersecurity, and serve no one's interest," he said.
Lin said China supports international cooperation on submarine cable projects based on the principles of "fairness, justice, equality and inclusiveness."
He added that Beijing stands ready to work with other countries to advance the construction and protection of submarine cables and other global information infrastructure.
