China’s Xi supports Latin America in ‘upholding independence’

President Donald Trump has scored several diplomatic victories in the region since returning to the White House.(AFP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed support Tuesday for Latin American countries’ “independence and self-reliance” as he met with his Ecuadorian counterpart, Daniel Noboa, in Beijing, state media reported.Noboa, a staunch ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, is visiting China for a weeklong trip that began Sunday.Trump, who is pushing Latin American governments to crack down on organized crime and migration, has scored several diplomatic victories in the region since returning to the White House last year. Countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Honduras have shifted to the right or consolidated conservative realignments.During their meeting in the Great Hall of the People, Xi told Noboa that “China supports Latin American countries in upholding independence and self-reliance, (and) conducting external cooperation based on their own national interests.”“China consistently maintains that the status of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace should not be undermined, the path of development and revitalization for countries in the region should not be interrupted,” the official Xinhua News Agency quoted Xi as saying.“Their right to independently choose partners should not be interfered with,” Xi added.He called for China and Ecuador to “consolidate political mutual trust” and expand cooperation in energy, minerals, infrastructure and finance.China has reinstated export access for eight Ecuadorian shrimp plants, Ecuador’s National Chamber of Aquaculture said in a statement Monday, calling it “a significant step forward following several months of negotiations and joint technical work.”Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads