CHINA'S INFILTRATION OF THE CBI PROGRAMS IN THE EAST CARIBBEAN

The People's Republic of China's Nationality Law does not recognize dual nationality for Chinese nationals. Notwithstanding that law, the three major Citizenship by Investment passport sales companies, CARIBBEAN GALAXY GROUP, HENG SHENG, AND GLOBEVISA, are all openly operating, not only in Hong Kong, but also in Mainland China, where they have now sold thousands of citizenships, at illegally-discounted prices. Galaxy, Heng Sheng and Globevisa all pose a clear and present danger to the countries of the Caribbean.  Given that the PRC maintain strict controls over all aspects of industry and commerce, these massive sales programs must have had official approval to be allowed to operate throughout China. Why would China allow such activities, when they violate its existing law? 

SN Foreign Minister Denzil Douglas and Galaxy CEO Ying Jim at the UN. 

While we have been concentrating upon the illegality of passport sales, in our prior articles, it is perhaps even more important to understand that a large bigger, more strategic picture has emerged. The former Saint Kitts & Nevis Minister, Dwyer Astaphan, in a recent podcast, raised strong concerns about the right to Vote of CBI citizens, and the potential political power that these new Chinese citizens will have in their country. Due to provisions in the CBI laws, which are intended to facilitate the admission of the maximum number of members of the original applicant's extended family to citizenship, including those who qualify in the future, and the children of all who have formerly been admitted, a bad actor bent on substantially increasing the number of individuals who became citizens, directly from the initial applicant, can achieve a very large number. This loophole, although obviously well-intentioned could result in massive amount of new citizens, in a sufficient amount as to control elections, and therefore government.

St. Lucia CIP head McClaude Emmanuel and Les Khan

One very ominous aspect that Mr. Astaphan brought up, was the fact that children of CBI citizens, once grown to adulthood, would qualify election for high Government office, including his country's Parliament. The fear is that such a new administration might not only favor China over the Western democracies, and be loyal to its policies, but that it might implement the restrictive type of government that China now maintains regarding its own citizens, who must adhere to strict social norms; Western human and civil rights might disappear in countries of the Caribbean under Chinese control. Other changes could also occur, such as siding with the PRC and withdrawing their diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, making China their dominant trading partner, and favoring China and the world's other autocracies in foreign relations and at the United Nations. The Balance of Power in the Western Hemisphere could even be affected.

Henri Fan of Globevisa, Faron Lawrence and Michael Martin, ex-CEO of Saint Kitts CIU

While the abuse of CBI passports by Chinese financial criminals, sanctions evaders, individuals engaged in industrial espionage, and intelligence operatives, who have been arrested around the globe, has been the primary concern of the United States and other nations, we must not lose sight of the fact that the growing influence of China in the Caribbean, whether through CBI, foreign aid programs, Belt & Road initiatives, the building of huge embassies in the region where there is zero international trade and tourism, and the supply of military tequipment, when added to the presence of advisors, represents a creeping infiltration of all aspects of Caribbean political, economic, and social sectors. That being said, we perceive the CBI threat to be the most serious, and and the one that could very well result in the existence of governments unfavorable, and perhaps even hostile, to the United States.

It is humbly suggested that America, as a matter of National Policy,work closely with the East Caribbean states, to assist them in cancelling all illegally-discounted citizenships issued and outstanding, who do not promptly pay the full balance due under the law, and use its diplomatic, legal, law enforcement, and economic agencies where and as needed to reform the various CBI programs, before the Caribbean falls victim to China's infiltration of the region's democracies.