Step on to a Jamaican construction site, and you might wonder, what's with all the Chinese workers? These boots on the ground part of China's foray into the Caribbean. Bringing with it Chinese loans, but also Frickia. I have one more look at that. These are the beginnings of a much needed children's hospital, a gift from China. But one with strings attached. It's their contractor, up to 50% their workers, leaving many in the local industry, cut out. At sites across Jamaica, it's often like that, except it's usually a loan, a big one. So they're doing a number of buildings looking very similar to that one. That has engineer Carval Stewart speaking out. You're saying China essentially loaned money to itself to do work in another country? Well, that's what it did because it lends you the money on the bottom of it. It says the beneficiary is China harbour engineering company. The people who build the road to the project. While the infrastructure is needed, the added debt he says is not, especially if China's investment doesn't improve the economy in the long run. We will be seeking funds to repay those loans later on without having had the opportunity to pay the loan. And the opportunity for the economy to earn from those funds. To understand who wins and who loses, we're hitting the road. Jamaica borrowed $700 million to have a Chinese state-owned firm build this toll highway. A thousand Chinese were imported to do the work alongside Jamaicans. So the first pillar we see of China's strategic plan. An outlet for their labor. And it's hard for Jamaica to say no to China. A country full of dilapidated roads and a government too broke to fix them all. So locals hustle to collect money to pay for some ends and do the work themselves. So it's important to be doing it. To put it in perspective, we're heading to meet one of Jamaica's most senior statesmen. Ambassador, how are you? Very good. Thank you very much. Very good to meet you. Richard Bernal was Jamaica's ambassador to Washington. Now runs a global center at his main university. I know there are cases in all of developing countries where they bring in a lot of their own workers. But in this case, the numbers are relatively small and they have been reducing over time. He dismisses concerns over who's doing the work when you consider what Jamaica is getting with the loans. One, the terms are quite generous. Long repayment periods, low interest. Secondly, the Chinese are very competitive in clearing all these construction projects. And thirdly, what you find is that it comes with less conditionality than Western aid. But in return for its money, China is looking for influence and opportunity. And that is all about location. So this is Little Goat Island? Yes, it is. Goat Island sits directly north of the strategically critical Panama Canal. And this is where the Jamaican government agreed to allow the Chinese to build a huge port. This is where I want to build a port. But when Ingrid Parchment heard about it, she knew it had to be stopped. I thought, why are we giving away one of our major resources to somebody because they have an idea? Why aren't we protecting us what we need? She leads a group responsible for coastal conservation. What was it that concerned you in particular? I think the idea that they were going to be leveling the island, removing all of the trees, which is habitat for birds. And also the mangroves in particular, which are where the baby fish and crabs grow. But also have been doing a lot of dredging. And the dredging would mean that all of the sea grass, all of that lovely starfish you saw coming, etc. All of that would be lost as well. But not everyone had a problem. I think there are mixed responses. I thought there's an opportunity for employment. Others thought maybe they would be using their boats to carry material back on foot. Jamaica struggles with that mix. And few places better illustrate that than here. The Alpart Mine. Another pillar for China is access to the Caribbean's resources. This mine laid dormant for years. But China needs aluminum. And the box site they process here is a key ingredient. When Chinese conglomerate just go bought it, they got that access. And the community got jobs. Do you know anybody who worked at the mine? My aunt is a chef. We depend on the mine. That's what we depend on. We don't have no other source, side of plants. But the mines reopening also brought problems. Last month, it shut down for an upgrade, pushing many back out to unemployment. But not before Jamaica's environmental regulator issued 16 enforcement orders against Jessica. The source of the problem? This vast residue disposal area. It was blamed for causing serious environmental and human health issues in the neighboring community. I'm sorry, I might have found the model here. I just really disturbing. Are you worried for the kids like this? Of course. 100% worried. When the dust blow, it sometimes hits Russia for us, killing all of that. These are legitimate concerns. But they aren't new ones, says Ambassador Bernal. I'm not saying they haven't broken some laws. But I guess what? The raised new from box site plants have been here since they were established 50 years ago. By Canadians and American firms. So if Jamaicans are concerned, he argues they should take it up with their own government. Which is what Ingrid's group did. They pushed back against the government and won. Plants for the port on Goat Island cancelled. One of the things we were fearful of is that if you are low for this, then what next? China did ultimately build Caribbean ports, just not in Jamaica. I think the big thing is trade. The Scott McDonald is writing a book all about it. He's even got the title, the new Cold War in the Caribbean. Is the U.S. and China definitely have marked out a new competitiveness, a rivalry, if you want, that does look like a Cold War in some aspects? Because this is right in their backyard. This is their backyard. This allows China to make a poke at the United States in a soft underbelly, if you want. The U.S. has worn Caribbean countries about taking on too much debt from China. Does that mean that you are much more than just indebted on an economic level that you are in part owned by China? I wouldn't go to say that you're owned, but perhaps China has a leverage. China has enough sway that Jamaica's Prime Minister just visited Beijing. But soon after, announced a pause in any new borrowing, shifting more towards public and private investment. Jamaicans are now among more than 4 billion people globally touched by China's involvement beyond its own borders. China is playing the long game, and it's getting closer and closer to our own shores.