When Chinese President Xi Jinping begins a tour of Latin America and the Caribbean on Friday, he will see a region split between nations with trade bonds with Beijing and those that recognise Taiwan.
Xi will begin his trip in the oil-rich Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago before heading to Costa Rica and Mexico. The last two nations were visited by US President Barack Obama in early May.
China’s trade ties with Latin America have soared in recent years as the world’s second biggest economy taps into the region’s mineral and oil wealth to fuel growth, but some nations are concerned about widening trade deficits.
His visit to Trinidad -- the first by a Chinese president to the island off Venezuela -- will come on the heels of a visit by US Vice-President Joe Biden, who attended a summit with Caribbean leaders in Port of Spain this week.
“These are very special and historic times for Trinidad and Tobago,” the island’s communications minister, Jamal Mohammed, said of the two visits.
The government of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar sees the Chinese leader’s visit as an opportunity to deepen cooperation in trade, construction and heavy industries. The two sides will sign trade and education cooperation agreements, according to China’s state Xinhua news agency.