President Gustavo Petro confirmed last Tuesday that Colombia will sign with China A letter of intention seeking the country’s formal entry to the Silk route with the nation Asianwhich, he said, must come true during the next government.
The president referred to his next trip to Chinanext week, where will arrive as president of Colombia and president of the community of Latin American and Caribbean statesCelac.
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“I’m going to sign the silk route, its letter from intention“He said, but added that” we are going to talk about you, I’m not going to kneel, “and said that on his trip to China He will meet with President Xi Jinping, with whom we will put problems Today in force: Why does China have a commercial surplus? We a deficit for 14 billion dollars annually. That leads us to a povertyand I don’t want China to be a poverty producer. ”
The Head of State warned that the balance commercial It has to be equated, either with China investments in Colombia, that is, buying things from Colombia: “And that we are going to talk about, because I do not speak against the interests of the people.”
And questioned those who oppose Colombia Strengthen His commercial relationship with the Asian giant: “Colombia is free to talk to China. What damage China has done to us? Has it invaded us, it took us away from Panama Perhaps? Who took Panama? Who broke the Gran Colombia? And then I can’t talk to a town because they are winning the commercial space to another town. ”
He also clarified that as president of Colombia “I want to have good relations with the United States”, referring to the possibility of Colombia from entering the Silk route, a strategy in which according to the Nariño House More than 100 countries have signed commercial agreements with the Asian country for the exchange of goods, services and cultures.
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“I am not in commercial competence with China Not with the United States. Colombia is won that has the best proposal in any tender. Yes gringos They compete with China, make the best proposal, not that because they are gringos so I have to give them the tender because it would be a corrupt, ”he said.
For its part, the former president Iván Duquewhen excusing last Tuesday before Foreign minister Laura Sarabia because she would not attend the meeting of the Foreign Relations Advisory Commission that had been summoned to discuss the possible accession of Colombia To the Silk Route and which was then canceled by order of Petro, with scolding to the minister, he expressed his rejection of this initiative.
“I told the Chancellor that my government never agreed to subscribe to Colombia In that initiative. So that? So that our country would not be subject to the strategic interests of China and continue to have independence in the driving of our international relations, ”explained the ex -president.
And warned that an eventual adhesion to this route could affect the bilateral relationship with USA: “During our Government, Colombia was elevated to the highest diplomatic level with the United States, being designated as a strategic non -member of NATO.”
So, he stressed, go for the Silk route could “fracture and shatter 200 years of relationship with the United States” and “put the interests of our country ”.
In turn, the president of the ANDIBruce Mac Master, questioned: “Does Colombia want to do this at this time? In exchange for what? What justification does it have from the point of view of the international strategy of these days? How does the affect the relationship With our commercial allies that buy us most of our exports? Hopefully these aspects have when discussing or considering the subject. ”
Then added the union leader of the entrepreneurs who “a month ago the Association of Latin American Industrialists sent communication to all the bosses of Regionwarning about the inconvenience of Celac’s visit to China at the current international situation. In our case, we refer it to the government of the Republic of Colombia without receiving any direct beyond a ‘trill’ in which the recommendation was dismissed. ”
In turn, María Claudia Lacouture, president of the Colombian American Chamber, AmCham Colombia, stated that “we must ask in a greater approach with China what it wins and what Colombia loses, what will be the conditions, what benefits they would have and the impact on the relationship with the United States that has the most advantages for the country.”
Likewise, in a statement in front of the failed call for the Foreign Relations CommissionLacouture questioned: “What concrete results have other countries that have adhered to the initiative of the Strip and the route in terms of economic growth, infrastructure or knowledge transfer?”
Also: “What practical implications, economic and geopolitics would have for Colombia formally adhere to the initiative of the strip and the route? ”
In the same way, the president of AmCham Colombia: “Since in the last decade the bilateral trade between Colombia and China has grown, but with a deficit greater than 13,000 million dollars, how is it expected that this adhesion contributes to greater symmetry in the relationship commercial?”.
And finally: “What mechanisms will establish China to ensure that its commercial relationship with Colombia Does not generate market distortions or unfair competition practices that harm Colombian industry and employment? And many other questions must be addressed to put in the balance what you earn and whatever risks. ”
The Chinese initiative of the Strip and the routealso known as the new Silk routes, it is a colossal infrastructure project with which Beijing intends to generate an international commercial network and extend its influence globally.
This initiative of the Asian country aims to change the commercial relations of the countryafter the tariff war that caused the United States.
According to the scientific research magazine Gobbernanzathe Silk route is a project proposed by President Xi Jinping that aims to integrate the old “commercial routes”, which highlighted the importance of the foodcustoms, art, religion and Chinese education, through the development of new infrastructure and the use of modern technology.
President Jinping said that this proposal will bring opportunities, changes and benefits, since the integration from China with Central Asia, Europe and Africa through Earth, Sea and Air, “will promote the exchange commercial and cultural ”.
Likewise, the scientific journal said that this is one of the essential projects managed during the administration of the Chinese president, since “he said that ‘the strip and the route’ intends to connect ancient routes commercial To unify the east markets with those of the West, where Europe and Africa play a relevant role. ”
This network of historical trade routes is formed By numerous countries of Europe and Asia, including China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tayikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Palestine and others.
According to data from the Office of the United States Commercial Representative (USTR, acronym in English) The commercial balance with Colombia last year “was estimated at 36.7 billion dollars.” In 2024 the United States exported Colombia goods for 19,000 million dollars, 7.7 % more than in 2023, and imported from Colombia products for 17.7 billion dollars, 9.8 % more than in the previous year, according to the USTR. The products that Colombia export the most USA They are oil, gold, coffee without toast, flowers, doors and windows, while the ones that most matter are machinery, products derived from the oilchemicals and vehicles
He Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of CommerceIndustry and Tourism reiterated a couple of months ago that “the United States has historically been a strategic commercial partner for Colombia. 2024exports to that country reached USD $ 14,336 million, which represented 28.9 % of the total Colombian exports worldwide. ”
Dane revealed last March that in 2025 the country with which Colombia has the largest commercial deficit is Chinawith a balance of $ 1,242 million.
With China the deficit 27.3%increased, and the balance with that nation closed by $ 12,391 million in 2024being the most significant, surpassing USAwhich also closed with a deficit of $ 1,191 million.
The report also revealed that imports from USA They reached $ 1,206 million last January, while imports from China They amounted to $ 1,282 million.
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