As global trade war threatens, El Salvador hears the drumbeats

The drumbeats of a global trade war between the United States and China are sounding, and now they are even reaching El Salvador.

Jean Manes, the US ambassador in San Salvador, has accused the Beijing government of stepping up its influence in Central America by threatening a clutch of new investments at the port of La Unión in El Salvador, some of which are from companies that make what could be military equipment.

La Unión was inaugurated in 2010 but has turned out to be a white elephant, but Chinese companies have shown interest in reviving it.