Chinese cable project sparks row in Chile

US concerns over a proposed Chinese fiber optic cable linking Asia with South America under the sea led to a spat Tuesday between Chile’s outgoing left-wing president and his Washington-backed successor. Hard-right politician Jose Antonio Kast is set to be inaugurated as president of Chile on March 11 after defeating Jeannette Jara, a communist, in December’s presidential run-off. On Tuesday, he met with the incumbent Gabriel Boric to coordinate the transfer of power. But Kast terminated the meeting abruptly after accusing Boric of withholding information about the submarine cable project. The China Mobile multinational wireless provider has proposed to lay a cable between Hong Kong and the Chilean port of Valparaiso.