Suriname, with a troubling history of governance in the form of Dési Bouterse and rich in timber and bauxite, may be yet another example of a resource rich nation being cut up and sold off.
China, Surinam agree on furthering military cooperation
April 28, 2008
The China People’s Daily reported on talks with visiting Surinamese defense minister Ivan Fernald about strengthing military cooperation.
I don’t want to suggest the idea of ‘cooperation’ is laughable, but the Suriname military can barely afford to host a meeting let alone bring anything to the table. I would suggest this is really about China buying an outpost in the North Atlantic with proximity to the Caribbean to secure its resource supply chain.
For reference, Suriname’s military spending is 0.6% (2006) of GDP ($4.794 billion – 2010 est) compared to China’s 4.3% of GDP ($9.872 trillion – 2010 est.)
That’s $28 million compared to $424 billion or one small, cheap business jet v. a fleet of over 2000 Boeing Dreamliners.
China People’s Daily
CIA World Factbook
Geopolitics 