Latin American Leaders’ Visits to China
Latin American Leaders’ Visits to China
Three sitting presidents travelled to Beijing for a China–CELAC summit. Who else ventured to have made an official trip?
With China standing as the top trading partner of much of South America—and ranking among the top three for most of Latin America—it’s no wonder so many regional leaders have made the trip to Asia over the past decades. Eight of Latin America’s 19 presidents have visited Beijing on state visits, where they have signed deals and agreements alongside Chinese leaders. Most recently, three presidents—Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Chile’s Gabriel Boric, and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro—were all in China on May 13 for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China–CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, which was planned for foreign ministers.
Not every leader in the region has made the voyage. Some, including Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves and Argentine President Javier Milei, have stated their intention to make a visit, though no plans have materialized. Other leaders have met with President Xi Jinping outside of China, such as Milei, Bolivian President Luis Arce, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Margaret Myers of SAIS explains how both Beijing and Washington are recalibrating their approach to engagement with the region.
