China has firmly rejected any suggestion that its growing relations with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are motivated by geopolitical rivalry, insisting that cooperation with the region is based purely on mutual benefit and non-interference principles.
Speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing on Monday, March 9, 2026, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun emphasized that LAC countries are sovereign and independent actors entitled to freely choose their development paths and international partners.
“Latin America and the Caribbean countries are independent sovereign countries and have the right to independently choose development paths and cooperation partners,” Guo stated.
He reiterated that China’s engagement in the region adheres to core principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation across economic, trade, infrastructure, technology, and cultural fields.
“The China-LAC cooperation is never driven by geopolitical calculations, does not target any third party and should not be disrupted or affected by any third party,” Guo added, in what appeared to be a clear reference to the United States.
The Chinese spokesperson’s comments came directly in response to the “Shield of the Americas” summit hosted by US President Donald Trump in Washington on Saturday. At the gathering, Trump announced the formation of a new multinational military coalition officially named the America’s Counter-Cartel Coalition (ACCC).
The ACCC is designed to coordinate efforts among participating nations to combat powerful transnational criminal organizations, drug cartels, and related gangs operating across the Western Hemisphere. Trump framed the initiative as part of a broader “America First” doctrine aimed at safeguarding the region from “foreign influence and instability,” a phrase widely interpreted as targeting China’s expanding economic and diplomatic footprint in Latin America.
The summit brought together several heads of state and government from the Americas, including Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, and Chilean president-elect José Antonio Kast, among others. Discussions focused on joint intelligence sharing, border security enhancements, law enforcement training, and coordinated operations against narco-trafficking networks.
China’s statement underscores Beijing’s long-standing position that its Belt and Road Initiative projects, infrastructure investments, trade partnerships, and diplomatic outreach in Latin America are purely economic and developmental in nature. Over the past two decades, China has become the largest trading partner for several LAC countries — including Brazil, Chile, Peru, and others — and has financed major ports, railways, hydroelectric dams, and energy projects across the region.
The US, particularly under the current administration, has increasingly viewed China’s presence as a strategic challenge, accusing Beijing of using “debt-trap diplomacy,” gaining control over critical infrastructure, and undermining democratic governance through opaque financing and political influence.
Guo’s remarks signal Beijing’s intent to push back against narratives that frame its activities as zero-sum competition with Washington. By stressing non-interference and sovereign choice, China positions itself as a reliable partner that respects Latin American autonomy — in contrast to what it portrays as US attempts to impose regional security frameworks or limit countries’ freedom to engage with Beijing.
The timing of the Chinese response highlights the intensifying great-power competition in the Western Hemisphere at a moment when global attention is also fixed on the Middle East crisis. As the US doubles down on countering perceived foreign influence through military and security coalitions like the ACCC, China continues to expand its soft-power and economic leverage in the region, framing its approach as collaborative rather than confrontational.
Analysts expect this rhetorical exchange to continue as both powers vie for influence among Latin American nations, many of which seek to balance relations with the US — their traditional security and market partner — and China, now a dominant investor and buyer of commodities. For now, Beijing’s message is clear: its ties with Latin America stand on their own merits and should remain insulated from external geopolitical pressures.
