Are the Chinese building a bridge in Central America to fuel America's migrant crisis? Huge structure 'big enough for a column of tanks' springs up in Panama... but no-one is sure who is funding it

A huge bridge said to be big enough for a column of tanks to cross is set to spring up in Panama in one of the most dangerous migrant crossing points in the world.

According to reports, the structure is being built in Yaviza which sits on the Rio Chuconaco - the separation point between Central and South America and one of the most southerly points reachable by roads from North America.

Until now, the Pan-American highway - which weaves through central America towards South America - has ended in Yaviza, which sits on the edge of the 100-mile Darien Gap - a dense, lawless jungle between Panama and Colombia.

Millions of migrants brave the Darien Gap every year but are forced to mostly undertake the journey on foot, facing perilous river crossings, wild animals and even violent criminal gangs that extort, kidnap and abuse them.

According to a report by the US-based Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), that could be about to change with the construction of the new bridge across the Rio Chuconaco that could see the highway extended further south.

This would undoubtedly make the crossing safer for the millions of migrants who travel up from South America with the ultimate goal of reaching the United States.

However, news of the bridge's construction has raised a puzzling question: Who is funding the construction of the bridge, and what do they stand to gain?

According to Michael Yon, an American writer and photographer, one possible benefactor is China.

According to figures released in February this year, over seven million migrants have crossed America's southern border under the Joe Biden administration. 

The total does not include an estimated 1.8 million known 'gotaways' who managed to evade law enforcement, either.

The issue of migration has long been a divisive topic in the US, and a divided America is of great benefit to the powers Beijing, with China being the US's main economic rival and key rival global superpower.

It is easy to see, therefore, why China could have an interest in aiding the passage of migrants from South American to America's southern border. 

Another reason, however, could be Chinese migrants themselves. 

Although the majority of migrants making the treacherous journey north from South America tend to be from countries such as Haiti and Venezuela hoping for a new life in the United States, the numbers of Chinese migrants has soared in recent years.

Figures show that authorities in Panama counted 15,000 Chinese migrants in 2023, almost eight times as many than in the same period in 2022, and more than 40 times the number seen in 2021, according to the Daily Star.

What's more, between January and September 2023, US border officials detained more than 22,000 Chinese nationals attempting to enter from Mexico. 

With its Belt and Road initiative, the Chinese government is also known to be funding infrastructure projects across the globe.

Panama is among the initiative's 150 member countries, while Colombia is understood to be considering joining Belt and Road.

Speaking on a podcast hosted by American screenwriter and television producer Shawn Ryan, Michael Yon said: 'Nobody says who's putting the money in it.'

This, he said, 'indicates to me it's China – because China has a way of doing this. 

'But I keep asking government people who's actually paying for this, and nobody seems to know,' he said.

According to CBN correspondent Chuck Holton who visited the construction site, the initial plan for the bridge and the new road is to connect villages in the region.

He spoke to Lead Bridge Engineer Manuel Pinilla, who told the American network: 'This area is rich in fertile soil, predominantly used for farming activities like raising livestock and growing tubers, among other crops. 

Transportation is solely by boat along the river, often requiring four to five hours of travel upstream or downstream. However, with this project, they'll have a more accessible link, potentially leading to significant development.'

However, Holton told CBN that from the size of the construction project 'it looks like the builders may have other plans in the future' to continue the road.

'And if that's the case, that could change everything from an economic standpoint, a political standpoint, and from the standpoint of migration here in the Western Hemisphere,' he said.

News of the bridge's construction came as Human Rights Watch on Wednesday accused Colombia and Panama of failing to do enough to protect the hundreds of thousands of US-bound migrants crossing the Darien Gap.

'Whatever the reason for their journey, migrants and asylum seekers crossing the Darien Gap are entitled to basic safety and respect for their human rights along the way,' HRW's Americas director Juanita Goebertus said in a statement.

'Colombian and Panamanian authorities can and should do more to ensure the rights of migrants and asylum seekers crossing their countries, as well as of local communities that have experienced years of neglect,' she added.

Despite the dangers, the Darien Gap has become a key corridor for migrants hoping to reach the United States.

In 2023, a record 520,000 people crossed the jungle, according to the Panamanian government.

In its 110-page report, HRW said Colombia 'lacks a clear strategy' to protect those crossing the gap, with limited government presence leaving them exposed to the Gulf Clan, a drug trafficking cartel and major player in the migrant business.

Panama, meanwhile, focuses more on restricting movement and rushing migrants through to Costa Rica, rather than 'addressing their needs or ensuring that they can exercise their right to seek asylum.'

The NGO reported that on both sides of the border, authorities were not doing enough to investigate and punish violations such as pervasive sexual abuse or look for missing people.

Since 2021, there have been more than 1,500 reports of sexual violence in the Darien Gap, but the real number is likely to be higher, HRW said.

Dozens, possibly hundreds, of people have lost their lives trying to cross or are missing in the region, it said.

It also found 'inadequate' efforts to guarantee access to food, water, and essential healthcare services.

The report's release comes after medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in February criticized a sharp rise in sexual violence against migrants, and accused Panama of not doing enough to protect them.

MSF said an average of 16 women were raped a day in February.

In response, Panama's government suspended MSF's humanitarian work in the Darien Gap and accused it of failing to share data on the alleged victims.

The government also accused international aid groups of encouraging illegal migration by handing out maps to help migrants cross the jungle.

Goebertus also urged foreign governments to aid efforts to protect the migrants, saying Colombia and Panama 'should not be left alone to respond to the challenges in the Darien Gap.'