President Gustavo Petro speaks about his relationship with the United States after his trip to China: "Being a pariah is a thing of the past."

President Gustavo Petro, who concluded his official visit to China this Friday, gave an interview to Chinese television, in which he stated that " I think that position of being a pariah and playing second fiddle to the United States is a thing of the past."

The head of state used this phrase to refer to the discontent of the United States government with its counterpart in Colombia over the country's adherence to the Silk Road.

In statements to China Central Television's CCTV, Petro asserted that all aspects of relations and international relations must be addressed. "Colombia's transformation is open to the world," he explained.

However, he stressed that he continues to look to the United States "because it is important."

The president also addressed the issue of migration, arguing that "south-north migration is due to poverty in the south."

Petro stated that "dialogue among civilizations is the security of the world."

President Petro concluded his second tour of China, where he signed the Silk Road cooperation plan. Colombia formalized its adherence to the Belt and Road Initiative and submitted an application for admission to the New Development Bank (NDB), the financial institution created by the BRICS bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).

During his visit to the Asian giant, during which he also served as pro tempore president of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Petro met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who, after the meeting, announced five cooperation programs with the organization and a loan of 66 billion yuan (35.6 trillion Colombian pesos) to boost development in the bloc's member countries.

However, the government's decisions were not without criticism. The signing of the memorandum of understanding confirming the country's adherence to the Silk Road, through which the government seeks to reduce Colombia's nearly $14 billion trade deficit with the world's second-largest country in the short term, generated an immediate reaction from the United States.

The U.S. State Department described the decision as "counterproductive and disappointing." Furthermore, the federal agency stated that it will veto "recent projects and upcoming disbursements by the IDB and other international financial institutions for state-owned and Chinese-controlled companies in Colombia" and "in other countries in the region," raising doubts about the financing of projects such as the Bogotá Metro.

Regarding the agreement, it is important to mention that it does not generate legal obligations and expressly states that it will not be used as a basis for international claims or for the interpretation of other treaties. Among the specific objectives of the agreement—the memorandum of understanding signed between the two governments defines 11 thematic areas —it specifically addresses cooperation in infrastructure, trade, technology transfer, innovation, and clean energy.

President Petro's foreign tour will continue in Rome, where he will seek to meet with Pope Leo XIV. In his absence, Health Minister Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo will perform presidential duties.

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