Cooperation. Faced with "harassment" from the United States, China wants to strengthen its ties with Latin America

Heading south! Chinese President Xi Jinping promised Latin American leaders on Tuesday to strengthen ties with the region, in an international context marked by "confrontation" and "bullying," a clear criticism of the United States.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of a major ministerial meeting between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, which is also attended by Brazilian President Lula.

The Asian giant has intensified its cooperation with Latin American countries in recent years and hopes that they will join forces with it in the face of Donald Trump's current tariff campaign.

The region has become a diplomatic battleground between Beijing and Washington, and Latin American nations regularly come under US pressure to choose sides.

Addressing leaders and foreign ministers from the 33-nation Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Xi Jinping touted Beijing's long-standing ties with the region. "Only through unity and cooperation can countries preserve world peace and stability, and promote development and prosperity worldwide," Xi said.

In particular, he promised that China would release a credit of 66 billion yuan (8.3 billion euros) for the "development" of Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The sum is part of a broad package of initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation, particularly in infrastructure and clean energy. China will also collaborate with Latin America in combating terrorism and transnational organized crime, Xi said, while strengthening people-to-people exchanges through scholarships and training programs.

The Chinese president's remarks came the day after Washington and Beijing announced an agreement to drastically reduce, for 90 days, the punitive customs duties they impose on each other.

As part of the deal, the United States agreed to lower its tariffs on Chinese goods to 30 percent, while China will reduce its tariffs on imported U.S. goods to 10 percent. "No one can win a tariff war or a trade war," Xi Jinping said Tuesday. "Bullying and hegemony only lead to isolation," he stressed.