Reference Message Network reported on May 18th according to the Associated Press report on May 17th, the Colombian government applied to join a development bank headquartered in China.
The report said that Colombian President Petro visited China this week and stayed in Shanghai, where he met with the Governor of the New Development Bank and former Brazilian President Rousseff.
Petro told reporters in China on the 17th that Colombia is committed to purchasing $512 million shares of the New Development Bank. He expressed excitement at the possibility of receiving support from the New Development Bank for the construction of a 120-kilometer canal or railway, which would connect Colombia's Atlantic and Pacific coasts, making Colombia the "center" of trade between South America and Asia.
It was reported that the US State Department said this week that it would "strongly oppose" financing for projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative in Latin America. In response, Petro said he would not be deterred by US pressure and reiterated Colombia's intention to remain neutral in today's geopolitical struggles.
Petro said in Shanghai: "We made this decision freely. We can talk face-to-face with the United States, and we can also talk face-to-face with China."
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