Colombia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Jorge Rojas announced the decision that Colombia will start negotiations to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative at the celebration held at the Chinese Embassy in Bogotá Oct. 3 for the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. As Rojas reported afterwards on his X account, he used that occasion to announce that “Colombia will join China’s Belt and Road Initiative after negotiations in which we identify the priorities and needs of both countries, with a pluralistic and intersectoral vision which will strengthen a diplomatic relationship which is nearing 45 years old.” Media reported that Rojas also revealed that Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo would be heading to Beijing this week, after his visit to Germany which began Oct. 6.
China’s Ambassador to Colombia Zhu Jingyang thanked Rojas for joining the celebration and for his announcement that Colombia will negotiate joining the BRI. China, said, Zhu, is ready to “accelerate the relevant negotiations, respecting and working with Colombia’s priorities and needs.”
Successive Colombian governments had considered taking this step, given the country’s giant infrastructure needs, but United States pressure has been the principal factor in putting off the decision until now, as the world’s economy and political center shifts towards the Asia Pacific region. China is already Colombia’s second largest trading partner, and while China has been investing in the country’s infrastructure projects, the BRI would open up the possibilities of building such great projects as a Colombian connection to urgently needed region-wide rail lines.
Although the Milei regime is itching to cancel Argentina’s participation in the BRI, just like it did with its BRICS application, the biggest issue for the region remains Brazil, which has still not applied for membership in the BRI—although that may change in November, when Chinese President Xi Jinping pays a state visit to Brazil. Months ago, Brazilian President Lula da Silva called on his countrymen to debate whether Brazil should join the initiative during Xi’s upcoming visit. Lula subsequently accepted an invitation to attend the Nov. 10-6 Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) summit in Peru, despite the fact Brazil is an Atlantic nation. On the sidelines of that summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte are scheduled to jointly inaugurate operations at the Chinese-built deepwater port in Chancay—the Pacific port which everyone expects to be followed by an agreement to finally build South America’s first transcontinental railroad, from Peru to Brazil.
