China Hosts Meeting of Latin American and Caribbean States

Forum Aims to Challenge Longstanding US Geopolitical, Economic Dominance in Region

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BEIJING - China will host a summit that includes its key Latin American trade partners this week in an effort to advance influence and partnerships in the region, as Beijing and Washington try to defuse their trade war.

Latin American and Caribbean officials, including the presidents of Brazil, Colombia, and Chile, are set to attend the China-Celac Forum ministerial meeting in Beijing on May 13.

Bilateral trade with the bloc was worth US$427 billion (S$554 billion) from January to September 2024, according to Chinese data.

China's President Xi Jinping will deliver a speech to the summit. The last time Mr. Xi addressed the forum was at the first such meeting 10 years ago.

The China-Celac Forum challenges longstanding American geopolitical and economic dominance in the region, which the Trump administration has sought to counter, and takes place after a weekend of high-stakes trade talks between the US and China that ended on a positive note.

American officials touted a "deal" to reduce the US trade deficit, while Chinese officials said both sides had reached "important consensus" and agreed to launch another economic dialogue forum.