Italy has announced its formal withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative after joining the China-centered infrastructure and investment project in 2019.
The timing of the announcement that Rome won’t renew its BRI commitment is notable. It came only a day before the EU-China summit, which kicks off on Thursday. The summit will likely be more contentious than usual, with European leaders expected to push China on the treatment of EU firms amid discussions ...
Category: China-Americas
Argentina’s Relations With China in Question as ‘Radical Populist’ Wins Presidential Election
China’s relations with Argentina are in question after right-wing “anti-communist” Javier Milei shook the country with an upset victory in Monday’s presidential election. While campaigning, Milei called China an “assassin" and said he would minimize or break off bilateral relations.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Arrived in Beijing on a High-Speed Train
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro arrived in Beijing on Tuesday in a rather unusual manner for a visiting head of state. Rather than fly into Beijing's sprawling Capital Airport on the outskirts of the city, Maduro traveled aboard one of China's newest and ...
The Rare Occurrence When Latin American Diplomacy Was Center Stage in Both China and Taiwan
It's not often Latin America is the focus of attention on the same day in both China and Taiwan, as was the case on Tuesday when Paraguay's president-elect Santiago Peña arrived in Taipei just as Nicaraguan presidential advisor Laureano Ortega met with China's top foreign policy official Wang ...
Honduran President Leaves China With Deals and a Sense That Dumping Taiwan Was the Right Thing to Do
Honduran President Xiomara Castro heads home on Wednesday after what she described as a "historic" six-day trip to China that culminated with a meeting with President Xi Jinping. Xi complemented Castro for her "historic decisiveness" and "strong political will" for fulfilling her ...
China Formalizes Ties With Honduras, Bolstering Diplomatic Presence in the Americas
77 days after President Xiomara Castro announced Honduras would switch its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China, the two countries made it official with the inauguration of a new embassy in Beijing. Sunday's plaque reveal ceremony in the Chinese capital followed less ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Awkward Timing as Italy Withdraws from BRI
China Opens New Embassy in Honduras as Part of a Flurry of Diplomatic Activity Between the Two Countries This Week
The Chargé d'Affaires for China's new embassy in Honduras, Yu Bo, unveiled the plaque that will be posted outside of the mission during a ceremony this week in Tegucigalpa. Monday's ceremony capped a frantic series of back-to-back announcements that included the ...
This Graph Explains China’s Growing Influence in Latin America
Financial Times recently published a fascinating analysis of the constraints facing U.S. influence in Latin America. While U.S. policymakers face political opposition at home to the increased market access demanded by Latin American governments, the same isn't true for China. China's trade with Latin America surged from $12 ...
Shifting Trade Winds between China and Latin America and the Caribbean as Free Trade Agreement Negotiations Progress
By Rebecca Ray and Zara C. Albright In 2022, the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region’s trade deficit in goods with China grew to a record 1.4 percent of regional GDP, as both sides of the relationship experienced uneven growth rebounds ...
Brazil’s Lula Heads to China With a Ukraine Peace Proposal That’s Effectively Dead on Arrival
Brazilian President Luiz Inàcio Lula da Silva had hoped to arrive in Beijing on Tuesday with a plan to present to Chinese President Xi Jinping that would end the conflict in Ukraine. Lula dispatched a special envoy to Kyiv last week ...
Hondura’s President Announces That’s She’ll be Traveling Soon to Beijing to Sign “Auspicious Agreements”
Honduran President Xiomara Castro looked visibly pleased with her decision to switch ties from Taiwan to China last week when she announced on Twitter that she'll soon be headed to Beijing to sign a raft of new agreements. The President did not ...