Latest news with #ChinaLatinAmerica
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China's ‘unstoppable' Latin America outreach gains ground as US uncertainty bites
China's high-profile outreach to Latin America underscores Beijing's expanding strategic emphasis on the region, according to Chinese observers, one of whom said solid China-Latin America ties would be 'unstoppable' if the United States continued its current approach toward its southern neighbours. Their comments followed the fourth ministerial meeting of the China- Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) Forum, held in Beijing on May 13. With key Celac leaders floating megaproject proposals during the event, another Chinese observer noted that infrastructure was likely to remain a key sector of engagement for Beijing, playing a crucial role in countering US influence in the region. While it was a routine event under the established China-Celac mechanism, the forum happened to coincide with the Trump administration's global tariff war and a growing US-China power struggle in Latin America, marked in particular by recent tensions over the Panama Canal 02:21 China's Xi Jinping urges countries to 'stand united' in face of global trade war China's Xi Jinping urges countries to 'stand united' in face of global trade war In his keynote address, President Xi Jinping pitched China as 'a good friend and partner' of Latin American and Caribbean nations, while offering a US$9.2 billion credit line to support development. He said Beijing was ready to work with the 33-member regional bloc to boost development and promote a multipolar world in the face of 'bullying' and 'unilateralism', a thinly veiled swipe at the White House.
Asharq Al-Awsat
13-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
China's Xi Slams ‘Bullying' as Beijing Hosts LatAm Leaders
Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed Tuesday to deepen ties with Latin America and condemned "bullying" in a thinly veiled swipe at the United States, as he addressed regional leaders in Beijing. Leaders and officials from Latin America and the Caribbean have descended on the Chinese capital for the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum. Beijing has stepped up economic and political cooperation with Latin American nations in recent years and has urged a united front against US President Donald Trump's recent maelstrom of tariffs. Latin America has emerged as a key battleground in Trump's confrontation with China, and the region is coming under pressure from Washington to choose a side. Addressing leaders on Tuesday, Xi hailed China's burgeoning ties with the region. "Although China lies far from the Latin American and Caribbean region, the two sides have a time-honored history of friendly exchanges," Xi told the opening ceremony, likening the summit to a "great, sturdy tree". "Only through unity and cooperation can countries safeguard global peace and stability and promote worldwide development and prosperity," Xi said. The Chinese leader also pledged $9.2 billion in credit towards "development" for the region -- part of a broad set of initiatives aimed at deepening cooperation, including on infrastructure and clean energy. Beijing will also work with the region in counterterrorism and fighting transnational organized crime, Xi said, as well as enhancing exchanges such as scholarships and training programs. Xi's remarks come a day after the United States and China announced a deal to drastically reduce tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days, an outcome Trump dubbed a "total reset". Under that agreement, the United States agreed to lower its tariffs on Chinese goods to 30 percent while China will reduce its own to 10 percent. The deal marked a major de-escalation of a grueling trade war between the world's two largest economies which threw global markets into turmoil. - Xi warns of 'risks' - "There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars," Xi said. "Bullying and hegemony will only lead to self-isolation," the Chinese leader added. "The world today is undergoing accelerated transformations unseen in a century, with multiple risks intertwined and overlapping," Xi said. Among notable attendees at the forum is Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who arrived in Beijing on Saturday for a five-day state visit. Also present is Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who last week said he intends to sign an accord to join Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative during his visit. Petro called for "dialogue between civilizations" that took into account the interests of the region. "A horizontal dialogue, rather than a vertical one, can be free of authoritarianism, of imperialism, of the give and take between civilizations," he said. Two-thirds of Latin American countries have joined Beijing's trillion-dollar BRI infrastructure program, and China has surpassed the US as the biggest trading partner of Brazil, Peru and Chile, among others. Chilean President Gabriel Boric told the forum that his country would take a "leap forward in economic relations with China".
Malay Mail
13-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Xi Jinping warns against ‘trade war bullying' as China hosts Latin American leaders
BEIJING, May 13 — Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed Tuesday to deepen ties with Latin America and condemned 'bullying' in a thinly veiled swipe at the United States, as he addressed regional leaders in Beijing. Leaders and officials from Latin America and the Caribbean have descended on the Chinese capital for the China-Celac (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum. Beijing has stepped up economic and political cooperation with Latin American nations in recent years and has urged a united front against US President Donald Trump's recent maelstrom of tariffs. Addressing leaders on Tuesday, Xi hailed China's burgeoning ties with the region. 'Although China lies far from the Latin American and Caribbean region, the two sides have a time-honoured history of friendly exchanges,' Xi said at the opening ceremony, likening the summit to a 'great, sturdy tree'. 'Only through unity and cooperation can countries safeguard global peace and stability and promote worldwide development and prosperity,' Xi said, pledging US$9.2 billion (RM39.8 billion) in credit towards 'development' for the region. He also warned of 'bloc confrontation'. Xi's remarks come a day after the United States and China announced a deal to drastically reduce tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days, an outcome Trump dubbed a 'total reset'. Under that agreement, the United States agreed to lower its tariffs on Chinese goods to 30 per cent while China will reduce its own to 10 per cent. The deal marked a major de-escalation of a gruelling trade war between the world's two largest economies which threw global markets into turmoil. Xi told delegates Tuesday: 'There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars.' 'Bullying and hegemony will only lead to self-isolation,' the Chinese leader warned. 'The world today is undergoing accelerated transformations unseen in a century, with multiple risks intertwined and overlapping,' Xi said. Among notable attendees at the forum is Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who arrived in Beijing on Saturday for a five-day state visit. Also present is Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who last week said he intends to sign an accord to join Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative during his visit. Two-thirds of Latin American countries have joined Beijing's trillion-dollar BRI infrastructure programme, and China has surpassed the US as the biggest trading partner of Brazil, Peru and Chile, among others. — AFP
Reuters
13-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
China, Latin America trade exceeded $500 billion in 2024
BEIJING, May 13 (Reuters) - Trade between China and Latin America exceeded $500 billion for the first time last year, China's President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday. Xi told Latin American and Caribbean officials it was a great pleasure to have "old and new" friends gather, in his speech delivered at the China-CELAC Forum summit in Beijing on Tuesday. China supports Latin America and the Caribbean nations to expand their influence in the multilateral arena, Xi said.
