Colombia Seeks to Participate in the Belt and Road Initiative
Colombian President Gustavo Petro (L) and Chinese President Xi JInping (R). X/ @eduardopinerosp
October 10, 2024 Hour: 6:14 am
This Chinese infrastructure project has generated excitement due to the development opportunities it offers.
On Thursday, Colombian Foreign Affairs Minister Luis Murillo announced that Colombia and China have formed a working group to negotiate his country’s accession to the Belt and Road Initiative.
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Murillo, who arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a four-day visit, confirmed what his Deputy Foreign Minister, Jorge Rojas, had already stated days earlier regarding Colombia’s desire to join China’s flagship project.
Through the Belt and Road Initiative, a proposal that has generated excitement due to the development opportunities it offers, China aims to create an international trade network and extend its global influence through infrastructure construction.
Murillo reaffirmed the independence of Colombia’s foreign policy and stated that the development of his nation is of interest to all American countries, including the United States.
“We need a lot of resources, and we need our allies to support us—both the developed North and countries like the People’s Republic of China, which also has a tremendous capacity to mobilize resources for investment in sectors that our countries and Latin America need,” he said.
More than 20 Latin American nations have joined the Belt and Road Initiative, but Colombia has not done so yet, although it has awarded significant infrastructure and mining projects to Chinese companies.
Among Chinese investments in Colombia, the Bogota metro project stands out. In 2019, two Chinese companies were selected for the construction of the first metro line: China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC) and Xi’an Metro Company Limited. Notable Chinese companies such as telecom giant Huawei, automaker BYD, and fashion company Shein are also present in Colombia.
Murillo’s visit follows the trip made to China a year ago by the President Gustavo Petro, who agreed with President Xi Jinping to elevate bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership. They signed a dozen cooperation agreements on issues related to trade, development, science, and education.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
