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Context:

Colombia joins China's Belt and Road Initiative, deepening China's influence in Latin America.

Background

China is expanding its influence in Latin America. China has already become the top trading partner for countries like Brazil, Peru, and Chile, and now Colombia joins the BRI.

The U.S., under President Donald Trump, pressures Latin American countries to side with it against China, making Colombia’s decision a bold geopolitical shift.

At the China-CELAC Forum in Beijing (a meeting with Latin American and Caribbean leaders), Xi pledges $9.2 billion in loans for development, focusing on infrastructure and clean energy. 

• He positions China as a supporter of the “Global South” (developing nations) and criticizes the U.S. for protectionism (policies that limit free trade).

What is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)?

The BRI was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, to revive ancient trade routes (like the Silk Road) and boost global connectivity.

It is a trillion-dollar plan to connect Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America through infrastructure and trade. It funds megaprojects—ports, railways, energy plants—in over 150 countries.

Supporters say it brings development to poorer nations; critics call it a “debt trap” that increases China’s global influence.  

U.S.-China Rivalry in Latin America

Latin America becomes a battlefield for U.S.-China competition. Trump’s focus on the Panama Canal—where a Hong Kong firm operates ports—highlights U.S. fears of Chinese control over strategic assets. 

• China dismisses these claims, but its market regulator now reviews a deal involving Panama Canal ports, signaling tensions. Colombia’s BRI entry, following Panama’s exit, gives China a diplomatic win.

China surpasses the U.S. as the top trading partner for Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others, with two-thirds of Latin American countries in the BRI. Joining the BRI could attract Chinese investment in Colombian infrastructure, like ports or railways, but risks deepening the trade imbalance.  

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Panama withdraws from China's BRI 

Source: 

THE HINDU