Xi has pledged to support Panama's pressure on U.S. port ownership and promise greater cooperation with Latin American countries, as Beijing courts traditionally viewed it as Washington's backyard.
On Tuesday, at a leaders' summit in 33 Latin America and the Caribbean states in Beijing, the Chinese president provided law enforcement training and equipment and other measures, including visa-free travel and a $10 billion development credit line in the region.
Xi Jinping's meeting with Latin American leaders demonstrates Beijing's determination to challenge Washington's global influence and a day after U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to a truce in the tariff war with China.
China is already Latin America's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding US$50 billion last year.
Xi Jinping told China that he "supports Latin America's national sovereignty and independence and opposes external intervention."
Xi Jinping held a demonstration against the country's canal in unity with Panama protesters in the 1960s.
Trump put pressure on Panama because what he called China's influence on the canal, and he threatened to return to US control.
This pressure led to Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison (which owns facilities on either side of the waterway) in March agreeing to sell it to a consortium led by BlackRock as part of a $22.8 billion deal in its port operations.
The deal angered Beijing, which urged CK and Hutchison to reconsider. Chinese antitrust authorities have also investigated the proposed sale, an unusual step in a deal involving a Hong Kong company.
In a blow to the United States, Petro reiterated Colombia's plan to sign XI's iconic international infrastructure driver during his visit to China's Great Wall on Monday, which helped expand Beijing's reach.
Petro, who held Celac's rotation presidency, called the move "a profound step between China and Latin America."
The Lula government also announced in Beijing that Chinese companies will invest SGD 27 billion (USD 4.8 billion) in Brazil, including SGD 6 billion from the large auto companies of China Automobile Group, and the purchase of copper mines in Alagos state, Alamos, northeastern Brazil, by Chinese group Baiyin nonferrous, Brazilian media.
Yu Jie, a senior researcher at Chatham House, said China is increasingly paying attention to Latin America as a market and investment destination and source of raw materials.
The region is also an important source of geopolitical support in Beijing among world institutions such as the United Nations. "China considers itself a leader in the global South, and obviously Latin America covers a large number of global South countries," Yu said.
Xi Jinping's development commitments in Latin America as Trump cuts his international aid commitment and provides funding for support for democratic programs and broadcasters such as Voice of America.
The Chinese president also promises to cooperate in security-related areas, including cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, anti-corruption, drug control and combat international organized crime.
He said China will also help countries in the region "work to maintain regional security and stability" by implementing "law enforcement training programs" and "equipment assistance."
Xi Jinping unveiled a series of other cooperation measures, including visa-free travel in five unspecified countries in the region, which will be expanded "appropriately". In recent months, China has expanded access to visa-free.
Michael Pooler reports on additeal in St. Paul