China and Colombia Signs New Belt and Road Agreement

In a move signaling deeper diplomatic and economic engagement, China and Colombia signed a joint cooperation plan under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to Chinese state media on Wednesday.

The agreement was finalized during a high-level meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Beijing.

This development marks a major step in Colombia’s foreign policy shift, further integrating the country into China’s expansive global trade and infrastructure project launched in 2013.

The Belt and Road Initiative, often seen as a modern version of the ancient Silk Road, aims to enhance connectivity between Asia, Africa, Europe, and now increasingly, Latin America.

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President Xi expressed China’s readiness to import more high-quality Colombian products, support Chinese investment in Colombia, and collaborate on infrastructure development. “China will continue to back its firms in investing and doing business in Colombia,” Xi told Petro, as reported by Xinhua.

China has rapidly emerged as a major player in Latin America, and is now Colombia’s second-largest trading partner, recently surpassing the United States as the country’s largest source of imports. This growing economic bond has positioned China as a key stakeholder in a region traditionally influenced by the U.S.

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President Petro, who assumed office in August 2022, previously visited China in October 2023. During that trip, the two nations upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership, building on decades of diplomatic ties established in 1980.

While over 150 countries have joined the BRI, including more than 20 Latin American nations, the initiative has not been without controversy. Earlier this year, Panama exited the Belt and Road, a move China attributed to U.S. pressure—highlighting ongoing geopolitical tensions over China’s growing presence in the Western Hemisphere.

By aligning with the Belt and Road, Colombia opens the door to enhanced infrastructure development, trade opportunities, and investment — but also steps into the delicate balancing act between two of the world’s superpowers.