Beijing has stepped up economic and political cooperation with Latin American nations in recent years. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

President Xi Jinping announced on Tuesday the launch of five programs for cooperation between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, covering areas such as politics, economic development and people-to-people exchanges, and he called on the two sides to jointly write a new chapter in building the China-LAC community with a shared future.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday announced the launch of five programs to advance shared development and revitalization with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Colombia formally agreed on Wednesday to join China's vast Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, as Beijing draws Latin America closer in a bid to counter the US.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping referred to 'bullying and hegemonism,' a veiled reference to trade pressure from the US.