Beijing: China and Colombia have officially signed a joint cooperation plan under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to Chinese state media.
The announcement follows a high-level meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Beijing.
The agreement marks a significant step in strengthening economic and strategic relations between the two countries. China, now Colombia’s second-largest trading partner, recently overtook the United States as Colombia’s top source of imports. The closer economic ties reflect Beijing’s growing influence in Latin America and the Caribbean — a region historically considered within the U.S. sphere of influence.
President Xi expressed China's readiness to increase imports of quality Colombian goods, support Chinese investment in the country, and collaborate on infrastructure projects. These pledges are part of broader efforts to integrate Colombia into the BRI, a global development strategy launched by Xi in 2013 aimed at enhancing trade and infrastructure networks worldwide.
President Petro announced Colombia’s decision to join the BRI earlier this week, reinforcing the country's commitment to deepening economic engagement with China. With this move, Colombia joins over 150 nations — including more than 20 in Latin America — that have signed onto the initiative.
However, Panama withdrew from the agreement in February, a move China attributed to U.S. pressure.
Petro’s first visit to China as president occurred in October 2023, during which the two nations elevated their diplomatic relationship to a strategic partnership. Diplomatic ties between China and Colombia were first established in 1980.
