China invites Colombia to join Belt and Road Initiative, ‘exploring’ free-trade agreement

Bogota’s top diplomat has confirmed formation of working group to discuss matter and hails ‘great potential’ to lure mainland investment

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Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo (left) poses for a photo with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on October 10. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 3:18am, 18 Oct 2024Updated: 7:37am, 18 Oct 2024

China has invited Colombia to join the Belt and Road Initiative and is “exploring the possibility of a free-trade agreement” with the South American country, Beijing’s ambassador to Bogota told local media.

Zhu Jingyang’s remarks on the China-centred investment and infrastructure scheme spanning the globe came during a press conference on Tuesday to address topics raised during Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo’s visit to Beijing last week.

The Chinese envoy said the invitation for Colombia to participate in the belt and road plan was extended “about eight or nine months ago, in January”.

“We have already forwarded a draft of the Chinese proposal to their ministries and basically no one has raised any objections,” Zhu added.

Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo speaks during his four-day visit last week to China. Photo: EPA-EFE

Last week Murillo met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice-President Han Zheng. And in a video on the Colombian foreign ministry’s YouTube channel, Murillo confirmed the two sides had agreed to establish a working group to discuss the matter.