China's Xi slams 'bullying' as Beijing hosts LatAm leaders

Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed Tuesday to deepen ties with Latin America and condemned "bullying" successful a thinly veiled swipe astatine the United States, arsenic helium addressed determination leaders successful Beijing.

Leaders and officials from Latin America and the Caribbean person descended connected the Chinese superior for the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum.

Beijing has stepped up economical and governmental practice with Latin American nations successful caller years and has urged a agreed beforehand against US President Donald Trump's caller maelstrom of tariffs.

Latin America has emerged arsenic a cardinal battleground successful Trump's confrontation with China, and the portion is coming nether unit from Washington to take a side.

Addressing leaders connected Tuesday, Xi hailed China's burgeoning ties with the region.

"Although China lies acold from the Latin American and Caribbean region, the 2 sides person a time-honoured past of affable exchanges," Xi told the opening ceremony, likening the acme to a "great, sturdy tree".

"Only done unity and practice tin countries safeguard planetary bid and stableness and beforehand worldwide improvement and prosperity," Xi said, pledging $9.2 cardinal successful recognition towards "development" for the region. He besides warned of "bloc confrontation".

Xi's remarks travel a time aft the United States and China announced a woody to drastically trim tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days, an result Trump dubbed a "total reset".

Under that agreement, the United States agreed to little its tariffs connected Chinese goods to 30 percent portion China volition trim its ain to 10 percent.

The woody marked a large de-escalation of a gruelling commercialized warfare betwixt the world's 2 largest economies which threw planetary markets into turmoil.

- Xi warns of 'risks' -

"There are nary winners successful tariff wars oregon commercialized wars," Xi said.

"Bullying and hegemony volition lone pb to self-isolation," the Chinese person added.

"The satellite contiguous is undergoing accelerated transformations unseen successful a century, with aggregate risks intertwined and overlapping," Xi said.

Among notable attendees astatine the forum is Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who arrived successful Beijing connected Saturday for a five-day authorities visit.

Also contiguous is Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who past week said helium intends to motion an accord to articulation Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative during his visit.

Two-thirds of Latin American countries person joined Beijing's trillion-dollar BRI infrastructure programme, and China has surpassed the US arsenic the biggest trading spouse of Brazil, Peru and Chile, among others.

Speaking astatine the forum, Petro called for "dialogue betwixt civilizations" that took into relationship the interests of the region.

"A horizontal dialogue, alternatively than a vertical one, tin beryllium escaped of authoritarianism, of imperialism, of the springiness and instrumentality betwixt civilizations," helium said.

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