When little-known politician Bernardo Arevalo was announced the winner of Guatemala’s presidential run-off vote on Aug. 20, it ended more than a decade of conservative leadership. But in the wake of Mr. Arevalo’s surprising win, analysts are expressing concern over the progressive president-elect’s goal to strengthen ties with China. This could be especially troublesome for the United States, Guatemala’s top trade partner, and the politically embattled Taiwan. Guatemala is one of just 13 nations that diplomatically recognizes Taipei over Beijing. It’s also one of Taiwan’s two remaining allies in Central America. On Aug. 21, just one day after Guatemalan officials announced the election results, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbin, expressed the desire for Guatemala’s new head of state to “make the right decision” and establish formal diplomatic ties with China.... Guatemala’s Relations With US, Taiwan Uncertain as President-Elect Plans Deeper Ties With China
When little-known politician Bernardo Arevalo was announced the winner of Guatemala’s presidential run-off vote on Aug. 20, it ended more than a decade of conservative leadership. But in the wake of Mr. Arevalo’s surprising win, analysts are expressing concern over the progressive president-elect’s goal to strengthen ties with China. This could be especially troublesome for the United States, Guatemala’s top trade partner, and the politically embattled Taiwan. Guatemala is one of just 13 nations that diplomatically recognizes Taipei over Beijing. It’s also one of Taiwan’s two remaining allies in Central America. On Aug. 21, just one day after Guatemalan officials announced the election results, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbin, expressed the desire for Guatemala’s new head of state to “make the right decision” and establish formal diplomatic ties with China.... 
A key focus of Canada’s new strategic partnership with Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN revolves around promoting security in the region as countries cope with an assertive China. Themes of cooperation in the new partnership were presented on Sept. 6 at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Indonesia, which was attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. ASEAN and Canada have strategies that “share relevant fundamental principles in promoting an open, inclusive, transparent and rules-based regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific region, in which ASEAN is central,” says a joint statement issued by participating leaders. The first strategic area of mutual interest identified for cooperation, before trade and investments, is dubbed the “political-security community.”...
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced a new bill aiming to keep out the influence of China’s communist regime in K-12 schools and higher education institutions. “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is working to undermine and challenge the US—not just internationally, but on our own soil. They are creeping into our education system at the university and K-12 levels to destabilize, misinform, hack, steal, and propagandize,” Mr. Lankford said in a Sept. 5 statement about his legislation. The congressman said it is not enough that the “dangerous connections” between U.S. universities and Beijing-funded Confucius Institutes are exposed. “The CCP has used these connections to steal American innovation and exert political influence over students, faculty, and their families,” he said....
President Joe Biden’s commerce secretary emphasized the importance of dialogue for better economic ties with China. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Sept. 5 that American businesses are “desperate” for dialogue with Beijing after she visited China to meet with CCP officials. After years of strain, she visited Beijing and Shanghai to try to improve bilateral relations. Ms. Raimondo was the first commerce secretary to travel to China in five years and the latest American official to visit over the summer. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China recently to discuss the trade conflicts and national security concerns between both countries....