US worried China's Dorian relief effort in Bahamas may be bid to gain influence — and foothold, reports say

Hurricane Dorian's devastation of the Bahamas reportedly has U.S. officials worried China may use the tragedy as a back door to get a foothold in the Caribbean nation, with the Communist country using international aid efforts as a Trojan horse to establish a base of influence just 50 miles from the Florida coast. Current and former U.S. officials, some speaking anonymously to the media, said this week that the Trump administration currently is focused on helping Bahamians who are struggling in the immediate aftermath of the storm, which struck the islands as a Category 5 and, according to some estimates, caused as much as $7 billion in damage. But in the months and years ahead, officials say, the U.S. must also pay close attention if China emerges as a key player in the recovery effort.-- More...