Colombia has officially joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative, becoming the latest Latin American country to embrace the ambitious infrastructure and investment project led by Beijing. The move, signed during President Gustavo Petro’s state visit to China, adds Colombia to a growing list of regional governments seeking closer ties with Asia—while the United States, particularly Donald Trump, has yet to respond.

“We’ve joined the Silk Road,” Petro said after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Colombian government framed the agreement as a historic step in foreign policy, with Petro declaring that Colombia is now “engaging with the world on equal and free terms.”

Beijing Deepens Its Footprint in the Region

Colombia’s alignment with China is part of a broader trend. More than two-thirds of Latin American countries are already participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, a key component of Xi Jinping’s strategy to expand Chinese influence globally.

This week, several Latin American leaders were also in Beijing. During a summit with CELAC countries, Xi offered \$9.2 billion in development loans for Latin America and the Caribbean, presenting China as a reliable partner amid growing global uncertainty and protectionism.

China is already the main trading partner of Brazil, Peru, and Chile. In Colombia, while the United States remains the top buyer of exports, imports from China have recently surpassed those from the U.S.—a first since the pandemic. President Petro sees this new partnership as a way to narrow Colombia’s \$14 billion trade deficit with China and to boost development along the country’s Pacific coast, now connected by a direct maritime route to Shanghai.

A Silent Washington

The shift in Colombia’s foreign policy might normally prompt concern in Washington, especially given the country’s long-standing status as a U.S. ally. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump threatened Panama with taking back control of the canal, accusing China of meddling in its port infrastructure. Panama soon withdrew from the Belt and Road Initiative.

Yet in the case of Colombia—a larger and more strategic partner—Trump has so far remained silent. The lack of a reaction is notable, particularly as his presidential campaign continues to make China a central issue in U.S. politics.

Redefining Alliances

Colombia is not acting alone. Chilean President Gabriel Boric also met with Xi this week and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to free trade, multilateralism, and scientific and energy cooperation with China. “We must defend the interests of the Global South together,” Xi told Boric, according to state-run agency Xinhua.

Petro, who currently holds the rotating presidency of CELAC, appears eager to lead a more autonomous Latin American voice on the global stage. “We’re going to talk with Xi Jinping as equals—not on our knees,” he said before leaving for China, pushing back against domestic criticism and fears of U.S. retaliation.

Colombia’s entry into the Belt and Road Initiative may not mean a full realignment toward China—but it does send a clear message: Latin America is no longer content being anyone’s backyard. It is actively pursuing investment, trade diversification, and new diplomatic paths.

Whether Washington will respond—or whether Trump will finally speak—is still unclear.

For now, China is advancing, and the United States is watching. Quietly.

With information from AFP