President Xi Jinping vowed on Tuesday to boost China's footprint in Latin America and the Caribbean with a new $9 billion credit line and fresh infrastructure investment, although Brazil warned the region not to become overly reliant on foreign funding.

The China-CELAC Forum began in Beijing on Tuesday, May 13, with Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting leaders from Latin American and Caribbean countries. Among them were Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva,

Chinese leader Xi Jinping reinforced his message on U.S. trade policy Tuesday at a Beijing gathering of leaders and foreign ministers from Latin American and Caribbean countries, amid China’s efforts to rally international opinion against President Trump’s global tariffs.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has taken aim at “bullying” and “hegemonism,” in his first public remarks since a temporary truce over tariffs was agreed in the trade war between the United States and China.