China and Latin America, facing Trump, may seek even stronger ties

Within days of Donald Trump’s election win in November 2024, China’s President Xi Jinping was at a ceremony opening a deep-water port in Peru as part of a “diplomatic blitz” through Latin America.

Xi’s presence was a symbol of China’s rising influence in the region. The Chinese-funded ($3.4 billion) Chancay port represents an expansion of the relationship between China and Peru. The two countries also signed an agreement to expand free trade. Xi said this was the beginning of a maritime version of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, to expand its worldwide trade and influence.

The first Trump administration opted for a confrontational stance toward many countries in the region, including Peru. This ultimately pushed Peru to deepen its alliance with China. Beijing saw the opportunity, through favorable trade deals and investments, to position itself as a more reliable and beneficial partner than Washington.

In the last 20, years China has dramatically expanded its role as a top trading partner for Latin America. In 2002, trade between China and the region was worth $18 billion. hat amount increased to $500 billion by 2023. In the first two months of 2024, China’s exports to Latin America increased by 20.6%.

Trump’s first term was widely seen as driving Latin American nations away from US values and alliances and toward China. Brazil, for example, saw trade with the US drop to its lowest level for 11 years, while trade with China grew significantly. Joe Biden did little to improve relations.

Trump’s campaign rhetoric signals that the incoming administration will continue that trend. And China is certainly ready to build on its partnerships in the region, if and when opportunities arise.

The Trump administration is likely to