Colombian President Petro Signs China Belt and Road Deal with $9.2bn Investment

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has signed an agreement to join China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), marking a significant step in expanding Sino-Colombian relations and China's influence in Latin America. The deal, signed during Petro's visit to Beijing and witnessed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, aims to boost trade, Chinese investment, and infrastructure development in Colombia, with Petro emphasizing relations based on equality and sovereignty. While Colombia seeks to reduce its $14 billion trade deficit with China, Petro also maintains that the US remains the nation's main ally, despite concerns that the move may strain US-Colombia ties. Petro's visit, also as chair of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), includes efforts to strengthen regional ties with China and promote Latin America's role in global affairs through cooperation on trade and investment. The agreement aligns with China's broader strategy to expand its economic and political leverage worldwide through the BRI, which already includes two-thirds of Latin American countries. Petro's diplomatic initiatives also involve engaging with the European Union and seeking a CELAC-US summit to diversify Colombia's global partnerships.