Colombian Foreign Minister visits China to discuss Belt and Road Initiative

Photo: X account of the Chinese Ambassador to Colombia, Zhu Jingyang.

Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo arrived in Beijing this Wednesday for a four-day visit, where he is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. Upon his arrival, Murillo was received by Tang Lingyun, the deputy director-general of the Latin America and Caribbean Department at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with members of the Colombian embassy and consulate in Beijing.

This visit follows Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s trip to China in October 2023, during which both countries elevated their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, signing a dozen cooperation agreements in trade, economy, science, and education, among others.

A key item on Murillo’s agenda is Colombia’s potential participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which could be formalized during his visit. The BRI, which aims to build a global trade network and extend China’s influence through infrastructure projects, has sparked both enthusiasm and skepticism due to concerns about debt and dependence on Beijing.

While over 20 Latin American countries have already joined the initiative, Colombia has not yet done so. However, Chinese companies have been awarded significant infrastructure projects in the country, such as the Bogotá Metro, Colombia’s largest engineering project, which is being constructed by two Chinese companies.

Main source:

Canciller colombiano llega a Pekín para negociar adhesión a nuevas rutas de la Seda – Infobae.