China is stepping up military training in Latin America because of a law that limits U.S. military support to nations in the region, the general in charge of the U.S. Southern Command told Congress yesterday.

"If we are not there and we can't provide this opportunity, someone else will," Gen. Craddock told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"Other nations are moving in. The People's Republic of China has made many offers, and now we are seeing those who formerly would come to the United States going to China."

"Some of these countries are critical -- Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia," Gen. Craddock said, noting that in several nations, "we are losing the opportunity to bring their officers, their senior noncommissioned officers, to the United Sates into our schools."

The lack of training has prevented sharing U.S. military "attributes and characteristics" with foreign militaries, including concepts of military subordination to civilian leaders, and principles of democracy, he said.

China has also offered to sell its new FC-1 jet fighter to Venezuela, after last year's sale of three JYL-1 mobile air-defense radar units.

"We know almost nothing" about Chinese military and intelligence activities in the region, a Pentagon official said.

So much for the idea of China having no reach... Aren't they building aircraft carriers now? Making a play to start getting a footprint on both sides of the rim? What exactly is "almost nothing"? What came out of Rummy's recent trip over yonder that pertains to this?