On April 26, the Chinese Communist Navy’s hospital ship “Silk Road Ark” completed a mission lasting over 200 days and returned to a military port in Sanya, Hainan Province. According to Chinese state media, this was the first time the ship had gone abroad to carry out a so-called “harmonious mission.” However, what may seem like humanitarian medical diplomacy is seen by experts as an extension of Beijing’s “civil-military integration” strategy, aimed at paving the way for its military and economic expansion in the Western Hemisphere, sparking strong doubts regarding sovereignty violations and legal compliance in Brazil and Chile.
The mission of the “Silk Road Ark” lasted 234 days, covering a total sailing distance of about 36,000 nautical miles, making it the longest such mission in the series since 2010.
“It is clear that this ‘Silk Road Ark’ hospital ship is part of the Chinese Communist Navy, in other words, it is a warship,” said Evan Ellis, a Latin America studies professor at the U.S. Army War College, in an interview with the English edition of The Epoch Times.
With a displacement of over 10,000 tons, the ship’s size is reported to be ten times larger than any similar vessel on the market, observed Francisco Cardoso, a leader of the Brazilian Federal Medical Council. According to reports from dock workers, the ship is loaded with a considerable amount of military and communications equipment.
Defense strategic analyst Rafael Almeida bluntly stated that the “Silk Road Ark” is a typical “smart power” tool under China’s “civil-military integration” strategy, combining military hard power with humanitarian soft power.
Almeida, a retired Brazilian Army Colonel with a Master’s degree from the Chinese National Defense University, pointed out that the ship is equipped with unusually large sensors, antennas, and radar systems, far exceeding ordinary medical functions.
Despite Beijing’s claims that the ship treated thousands of patients, its voyage in December 2025 coincided with simulated combat exercises by the Chinese military in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
Ellis analyzed that China is attempting to normalize the presence of its navy in the South Atlantic through the humanitarian mission of the “Silk Road Ark,” thereby challenging traditional U.S. influence in the region.
The “Silk Road Ark” transitioned from the South Pacific island nations to the Latin American region in November of last year, and docked in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in January, sparking serious law enforcement conflicts.
According to Brazilian law, foreign doctors must obtain authorization to practice medicine in Brazil. However, when CREMERJ consultant Raphael Câmara was dispatched to inspect the ship, he faced strong obstruction from Chinese consulate and military personnel.
Câmara revealed to The Epoch Times that “the Chinese consulate’s attitude was hostile and refused supervision requests,” even claiming that they “would not respond even if they received official documents.”
He raised concerns that China might collect biological samples or blood without inspection, putting the public at risk.
Furthermore, despite the State Health Secretariat of Rio de Janeiro heavily promoting the ship’s services, official sources denied any medical procedures taking place after regulatory bodies raised questions, conflicting with on-site observations. Beijing authorities also simultaneously denied the claims.
According to reports, the visit of the “Silk Road Ark” was a military operation requested by the Chinese Navy and authorized by the Ministry of Defense, with the highest Brazilian health supervisory agency unable to inspect the ship.
Former Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo told The Epoch Times, “If this visit is considered as a foreign military entering the territory, it must be authorized by Congress in accordance with the law.”
He believed that the stopover of the “Silk Road Ark” carried political pressure implications, signaling Brazil not to abandon its relationship with Beijing despite leaning toward the United States, and Beijing would not give up its significant influence accumulated in Brazil.
Analyzes indicate that another core of Beijing’s “civil-military integration” strategy is the use of state-owned enterprises controlling absolute operational rights of strategic overseas ports, transforming them into infrastructure with “dual-use” capabilities, engaging in business during peacetime and immediately converting to military support during conflicts, such as replenishing missiles or conducting intelligence surveillance.
In March of this year, Henry Ziemer, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), revealed to the U.S. Congress that China’s penetration of Latin American ports had entered the “third stage” of direct acquisition and operation by state-owned enterprises, reflecting Beijing’s control over port facilities’ access rights.
Ziemer explained that China’s penetration of the port ecosystem in Latin America initially saw private enterprises led by Hutchison Whampoa taking control in 1997 by acquiring the leasing rights of two ports in Panama. The second stage of penetration occurred concurrently with the Belt and Road Initiative, with state-owned enterprises investing in expanding facilities.
Most notably, the Chancay port in Peru, a large-scale port with an investment of $3.5 billion by China COSCO Shipping, aims to make Peru a new gateway for China to South America.
While appearing as commercial docks on the surface, Professor Ellis warned that these ports could immediately serve as ammunition resupply points for Chinese warships during wartime.
Moreover, China’s penetration in Brazil is more systematic, as the China Merchants Port Holdings Company acquired a 70% stake in the Port of Açu, Brazil’s largest crude oil export terminal, while COFCO Group acquired key food export terminals at the Port of Santos.
Ziemer analyzed that these investments targeting energy and food security nodes enable Beijing to gain insight into and even manipulate supply chains. In the event of conflicts, China might pose a significant threat to regional economies and even U.S. national security by closing port operations.
Beijing’s operations in Latin America often display characteristics of “geoeconomic coercion.”
Documents presented to Congress by Ziemer showed that the Peruvian National Port Authority attempted to revoke China COSCO Shipping’s exclusive operating rights due to legal disputes, prompting China to threaten canceling investments and arbitration, ultimately forcing Peru to amend the port law.
Moreover, opaque port operations have raised security concerns. Bloomberg reported that since the opening of the Chancay port in Peru, local extortion cases have increased by 25%, making it a new magnet for drug trafficking.
A Reuters investigation also found that Hutchison Whampoa-operated ports in Mexico were involved in fuel theft by drug trafficking groups and the transportation of fentanyl precursors.
Ziemer strongly criticized Beijing’s preference for opaque business engagements, creating an ideal haven for organized crime.
Against this backdrop, some Latin American countries have begun to show vigilance towards Beijing. The think tank Atlantic Council reports that while the Brazilian government remains relatively silent to maintain economic interests, the Chilean government has taken a tougher stance.
In February 2026, citing health regulations, the Chilean government explicitly refused to authorize the “Silk Road Ark” to provide medical care to residents, emphasizing that all medical procedures must comply with national licensing regulations.
According to Reuters, Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren admitted that the U.S. previously expressed security concerns about Chinese companies participating in submarine cable projects.
It was reported that two Chinese enterprises proposed a submarine cable project connecting Chile and Hong Kong. However, Chilean authorities stated that the project is still in the early planning stages and has not yet been approved.
Experts observe that Beijing is strategically transforming geopolitics “under the eyes” of the United States. In response to this trend, President Trump early this year revived the Monroe Doctrine, declaring the Western Hemisphere as within the sphere of U.S. influence, and facilitated the capture of Venezuelan dictator Maduro.
Subsequently, at the “Shield of the Americas” summit held in Miami, Florida in March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to strengthen regional ties and reaffirmed that attending Latin American countries are allies of the United States, aiming to curb Beijing’s influence in ports and strategic infrastructure.