sChina was recentlyadmitted as an observer to the Andean Community — a political and economic block consisting of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and one of the Americas’ numerous organizations and forums.

Getting increasingly nervous about Chinese influence, U.S. policymakers made a concerted effort to limit the CCP's engagement in the Inter-American Development Bank and some even raised concerns about potential — albeit unconfirmed — ties between China and the recently elected secretary general of the Organization of American States. Now, with China starting to engage in another regional organization, analysts already warn it could serve as a conduit for expanding AI and electric vehicle sales into South America.

However, rather than simply seeking to deny China entry into regional affairs, the United States needs to develop policies to better engage with the region. China’s presence in the Andean Community is not an isolated diplomatic gesture — it reflects a deliberate, decades-long strategy to reshape governance norms and economic integration in the Americas. Washington’s failure to understand this strategy — and offer credible alternatives — risks ceding influence in its own hemisphere.