Colombia signs an agreement with Beijing to join the Silk Road

Colombia signed an agreement on Wednesday with the Chinese government that will integrate the leftist administration of Gustavo Petro into the Belt and Road initiative.

Colombia's accession "changes the history of our foreign relations," Petro posted on X. "From now on, Colombia relates with the whole world on an equal and free footing," the president added.

Likewise, the Colombian Foreign Ministry stated that the signing of the agreement to join the new Silk Roads marks "a historic step that opens new investment opportunities" between both nations.

Petro claims that the agreement will reduce the $14 billion trade deficit with China and revitalize Colombia's Pacific Coast, which inaugurated a maritime connection with Shanghai in February.

Petro traveled to China this week for the IV China-CELAC Ministerial Forum and met with Xi Jinping on Wednesday to formalize Colombia's accession to the multi-billion-dollar program of the communist regime, which aims to finance infrastructure investments in other countries to expand its global influence.

The former guerrilla leader aims to diversify the Colombian economy, which is heavily reliant on exports to the U.S. However, the agreement has faced criticism from local business associations, who fear trade retaliation from the Trump administration.

Petro has already had diplomatic conflicts with the U.S. president, notably when he refused in January to accept a plane carrying deportees from the U.S.