American Defense Center Luncheon

As the 111th Congress prepared to get down to work, the American Defense Center organized, on January 14, 2009, a luncheon at famous Charlie Palmer Steak, on Constitution Avenue, just a stone's throw away from the Capitol building. Attended by 40 guests from the Hill, Washington think tanks and universities, as well as representatives of major media, the luncheon featured a presentation on "China's Rising Influence in Latin America: Strategic Considerations for the United States." The speaker was Prof. Francisco Gonzalez of John Hopkin's School of Advanced International Studies. An expert on Latin America and Chinese influence there, Dr. Gonzalez covered a wide range of issues related to China's growing clout in Latin America, achieved through its growing imports of commodities and agricultural products, and its increased sales of consumer goods to the region. He also covered some of America's strategic concerns, such as China's influence at the Panama Canal and its plans to establish a major trading hub in Ecuador.