By Laura Gamba
BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Colombia announced Thursday that it will strengthen commercial ties with China by adding a new shipping route from the port of Buenaventura to Shanghai.
The new route will traverse the Pacific Ocean without intermediate stops, optimizing logistics costs and enhancing the competitiveness of exports and imports.
"The inauguration of this maritime trade route between Shanghai and Buenaventura, operated by the Chinese state shipping company Cosco, is a significant milestone for us," Colombia's Commerce Minister Luis Carlos Reyes posted on X. "It represents a crucial step in strengthening trade relations between Colombia and China."
The announcement comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions with the United States stemming from the Colombian government's refusal to accept deportees on US military aircraft due to concerns regarding the "dignified treatment" of migrants. The refusal triggered a strong reaction from Washington, including an exchange of tariff threats.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently visiting Central America, with one of his primary objectives being to counter China's growing influence in the region. On Sunday, Rubio warned Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino that Washington would "take necessary measures" if Panama did not curtail China's influence and control over the Panama Canal. Following the meeting with Rubio, Mulino indicated that Panama is considering withdrawing from China's Belt and Road Initiative, a cornerstone of China's foreign policy.
In 2023, Colombian President Gustavo Petro traveled to Beijing to strengthen trade agreements with the Chinese government, and in 2024, the Colombian government announced its intention to join the Belt and Road Initiative. During his most recent visit to Beijing last October, former Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo stated that relations with China were "at their best."
The Chinese Ambassador to Colombia, Zhu Jingyang, welcomed the new maritime route development.
"Buenaventura strengthens trade with China with a direct maritime connection from Cosco Shipping."
According to a Colombian trade association, China is currently the fourth most important destination for Colombian exports, but it has the potential to become the second.