It’s only “remarkable” if you don’t know anything about the economic and political history of the region.

Anyone in their right mind would reject this thing after seeing the so-called benefits of the United Fruit Company, or the invitation of American plantations into the Kingdom of Hawaii.

In the actual real world, investment is only good if it’s beneficial to the populace and doesn’t undermine its sovereignty. Getting, say, the British East India Company interested in your country was a curse not a blessing, same as having these clowns interested now.