From JJ, re “China Is Winning This Battle Too!” in the May 9 issue: 

“Here in Ecuador (and likely other countries), China lends hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure projects, to be paid back in oil.

“Ecuador is entirely self-sufficient in electricity thanks to the construction of hydroelectric dams with Chinese money. Here’s the bad news though. China required that all construction be done by Chinese companies, using Chinese labor. So no Ecuadorians benefited, except for purchases.

“One dam was so poorly built, it developed a crack almost a foot wide. Ecuador insisted that the company that built it fix it. They refused. Ecuador sued the company, but since it was long done…

“So the dam was useless for years. I don’t know if it’s ever been fixed…”

My Response: As I’m sure you know, JJ, that quid-pro-quo system is hardly unique to China. It’s standard for many countries that give foreign aid to Africa, South America, and elsewhere. It’s standard policy for USAID, too.

But my point wasn’t that the Chinese do a better job in building than the US or other countries. It was that they seem to have been doing a better job on the diplomatic side, in terms of their reputation with the countries they aid. Despite the trillions of dollars that the US has given in foreign aid over the decades, it has not been able to shake off its widespread reputation as the “evil empire.”