President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil is visiting Beijing this week, and China’s Xi Jinping will also meet top officials from other Latin American and Caribbean nations to emphasize their ties.

While Washington has tightened trade restrictions against some Latin American countries, China is quietly gaining ground in the region. These developments in Latin America suggest that US trade policies under President Donald Trump-- especially the imposition of punitive tariffs on almost the whole world-- appear to be nudging Latin America closer

Xi once described Latin America as a natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road — an essential pillar of the BRI. He emphasized China's commitment to strengthening cooperation with the region, aligning development strategies and promoting shared growth.