Chinese President Xi Jing promised to deepen economic cooperation with its countries Latin American and the Caribbean and offered a visa -free entrance to certain countries as the China have a closer relationship with them than the US.
China will provide height credit line 66 billion yuan ($ 9.2 billion) to support growth in the areaknown as Lac, said at the fourth ministerial meeting of the Latin America and Caribbean states in Beijing on Tuesday (13.5.2025).
The release of the Visa obligation will also extend to five countries in the group, Si said, without nameing them. “Together, China and the lacquer countries defend true multiculture and support international justice,” Xi said. Without naming any country, he said that trade wars have no winners and that “bullying or hegemony only leads to self -insulation”.
Comments were the first public comments of the Chinese leader since Beijing secured Monday, Temporary tariff reductions from Washingtonbetter than expected. They also represented Beijing’s latest efforts to gain more influence in world affairs, partly presenting himself as a leader of the world. Si also promised to import more products from the lacquer countries and to encourages Chinese investments in the region, forming China as a beneficial partner.
It did not deal with increasing concerns about industrial surplus production capacity in China, even when some countries in the region began imposing duties on Chinese steel to protect domestic manufacturers. The forum, founded in 2014, gathered Brazilian President Luis Inasio Lula da Silva and other state -owned leaders from Colombia and Chile, along with senior officials from all over 33 members.
China has consistently expanded its imprint on Latin America, being a primary source of funding and a leading trade partner for many countries. More than twelve nations in the region have been included in Belt and Road’s Belt and Road initiative, leading to significant Chinese investments in projects such as the Bogota subway system and the Chancay port in Peru.
China has signed Free trade agreements with Chile, Peru, Costa Rica and the Nicaragua. Last year, the trade between China and the lacquer countries exceeded $ 500 billion for the first timean increase over 40 times since 2000, Si said in his speech.
Despite the 90 -day truce announced yesterday, the drastic duties introduced this year by US President Donald Trump have pushed Beijing to reinforce its image as a supporter of the existing global economic framework and to strengthen alliances, including traditional US alliances.
In response, the Trump government has intensified its efforts to tackle China’s influence. Defense Minister Pitt Hegsheth recently promised to eliminate Beijing’s “malicious influence” on the Panama Canal, while Finance Minister Scott Besed publicly urged Argentina to reduce its dependence on Chinese loans.