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China-Latin America relations

China-Latin America relations
News, features and updates on Beijing's relations with various Latin American nations, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela and more.
Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast visits La Laguna prison in Talca on August 13, as authorities transfer high-risk inmates there as part of a crackdown on organised crime. Photo: AFP
Crime

Chile fines Chinese mafia inmate after cocaine found at maximum-security prison

Prosecutors link the inmate to a Chinese criminal network targeted in a major police operation last year and a second raid in June.

Venezuela

Brazil’s China borrowing, Colombia quake aid: 7 Latin America relations reads

Rare earths

Why Brazil’s rare earths will not break China’s magnet grip at least until 2032

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Alibaba

Alibaba pushes into South America’s AI market with launch of Brazil data centres

The Chinese tech giant is rapidly building AI infrastructure in emerging markets amid an intensifying US-China tech rivalry.

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Alibaba Group Holding has pledged to invest US$56 billion to build AI infrastructure. Photo: Handout
Rare earths

US critical minerals proposals to Brazil go unanswered as China looms

A US diplomat says Brasilia has not responded to two overtures, even as a US-backed rare earth acquisition in Brazil nears completion.

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TikTok

Brazil fines TikTok record US$30 million for profiting from children’s data

ByteDance penalised for allegedly collecting data from 1 in 5 Brazilian children and failing to block minors from using TikTok.

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Iran

US targets China’s telecoms grip in Venezuela with new sanctions carve-out

Move could test Huawei and ZTE’s long-standing foothold as Washington extends its China reach from oil to another strategic sector.

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Chinese telecommunication companies like Huawei could be marginalised after the US authorised new investment in Venezuela’s telecom sector. Photo: Shutterstoock
United States

Brazil presidential debate zeroes in on Chinese investment and US tariffs

‘What matters to Lulism is that we keep buying the finished product from China while we sell ore or sell our grain’: candidate Renan Santos.

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Mainland China

Chinese archaeologists head to Peru for joint project to explore ancient sites

The partnership – part of a wider effort to expand cultural ties – will explore sites associated with the 5,000-year-old Caral civilisation.

United States

Peru vows to apply Hong Kong trade deal, but is silent on mainland China

Prime Minister Luis Galarreta says country aims to become trade and investment bridge between South America and Asia-Pacific.

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Peru’s new government did not mention the Chinese-built Chancay megaport, operated by Cosco Shipping, in its first comprehensive policy programme. Photo: Handout
United States

Beijing rejects US tariff report as Mexico plans new China trade curbs

He Yadong says US levies threaten supply chains, while Mexico considers new duties on Chinese steel and textiles.

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An aerial view of the Contecon Manzanillo container terminal at the Port of Manzanillo in Mexico, a key gateway for trade with Asia. Photo: Handout
Ecuador

Xi slams ‘outside interference’ in Latin America in meeting with Ecuador leader

Chinese leader’s message to Daniel Noboa comes amid increasing US efforts to assert its influence in the region.

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United States

Why Ecuador’s president is in China while enhancing security links with Trump

Ecuadorian president lands in Beijing seeking to free up key exports and gain Chinese investment, months after deepening US security ties.

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Mainland China

Rodriguez’s Castro tribute tests Venezuela’s balancing act between US and China

Beijing retains commercial interests in Venezuela even as analysts see Washington curbing its political and strategic influence.

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Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s tribute to late Cuban leader Fidel Castro drew an angry response from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Photo: AP
Taiwan

US accuses 9 Latin American countries of helping China avoid Trump’s tariffs

More than 40 countries targeted for helping Beijing illegally avoid tariffs by rerouting trade via nations with lower American import duties.

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Chinese container ship Cosco Shipping Rose docks at the Panama Canal’s Cocoli locks in Panama City. The White House has accused nine Latin American economies of helping Beijing illegally evade US tariffs by rerouting trade through countries with lower US import duties. Photo: AP
Colombia

China offers Colombia quake aid as new government pivots towards US

Beijing pledges help after the magnitude 7.4 earthquake, but its ambassador’s request for a coordinator remains unanswered.

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World Trade Organization (WTO)

China moves to join Brazil’s WTO fight over Trump’s forced labour tariffs

Beijing said it held a substantial commercial interest in consultations Brasilia opened over duties of up to 37.5 per cent.

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Cuba

Beijing official hails China and Cuba as ‘good brothers’ in show of solidarity

Liu Haixing, who heads party’s international department, says ties are at ‘unprecedented new height’ during talks with counterpart in Havana.

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Havana was again plunged into darkness when the power grid collapsed last week. Photo: EPA
Brazil

UnionPay to link Chinese payment apps to Brazil’s Pix after US tariffs

Central banks stay silent on pilot that would let tourists scan and pay weeks after Washington taxed the system.

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Currencies

Argentina extends US$19 billion China currency swap despite US pressure

Buenos Aires locks in the yuan line until 2031, months after the US Treasury Department offered a rival facility.

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US-China relations

US sanctions Cuba’s military representative in Beijing over China procurement

Measures target officials and firms accused of obtaining military equipment from China and Russia for Cuba’s armed forces.

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Left to right: Cuban Ambassador to China Alberto Blanco Silva, Chinese Major General Ye Jiang and Cuban First Colonel Waldo Perez Cortes pose during a 65th anniversary celebration in Beijing in September 2025. Photo: Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX)
Banking & finance

Brazil to become regular borrower in China, treasury official says

Brasilia cannot guarantee debut will happen this year, but wants it repeated to give companies a yuan benchmark to aim for.

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Brazil intends to sell yuan bonds in China every year, a senior Brazilian treasury official said on Wednesday. Photo: Getty Images
Mainland China

Bachelet-led panel urges Latin America not to choose sides in US-China rivalry

ECLAC commission says the region should leverage critical minerals but recognises limits imposed by US security dominance.

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United States

Cuban spy-base allegations, new Trump tariffs: 7 Latin America relations reads

From global soybean market updates to China’s best trade partners, here are highlights from the SCMP’s foreign correspondents in July 2026.

Colombia

Chinese executive filmed taking cash on Colombia metro project

Subcontractor accuses China Harbour managers of demanding cash to release payments on Bogota metro project.

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The first line of the Bogota Metro is expected to begin commercial operations in 2028 after decades of planning and political debate. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong

Chile’s Kast courts China day after US hits exports with forced labour tariff

Chilean president, who campaigned on aligning Chile with Trump, meets Beijing delegation as his party claims Washington cannot be trusted.

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China's ambassador to Chile, Niu Qingbao, and Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast at the La Moneda Palace in Santiago on Friday. Photo: Handout
Electric & new energy vehicles

Brazil is now the world’s biggest buyer of Chinese cars: China customs

Purchases hit US$5.2 billion in five months, pushing the sector’s trade gap to its widest since records began in 1997.

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Uruguay

Brazil turns to China trade deal after Trump tariffs, as years of resistance end

Xi and Lula agree to fast track Mercosur trade talks, endorsing a deal Brasilia fought to bury when Uruguay first proposed it.

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