Trump Hosts Summit for Latin America Leaders in Effort to Counter China

US President Donald Trump Hosts Summit with Latin American Leaders at Mar-a-Lago Estate

A high-level meeting between the United States and Latin America leaders will take place on Saturday at the Mar-a-Lago estate, dubbed the “Shield of the Americas” summit. The event is expected to bring together nearly a dozen countries from the region, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Trump administration has confirmed that the summit aims to strengthen ties between the US and Latin America, but details of the agenda remain unclear. The White House has stated that the event is part of a broader strategy to promote US dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

Experts say that securing meaningful commitments from Latin American leaders will require tangible economic benefits. Francisco Urdinez, an expert on regional relations with China at Chile’s Pontifical Catholic University, notes that “tangible economic benefits” are necessary to persuade countries to distance themselves from China.

The summit comes as China has emerged as a dominant trading partner in parts of Latin America over the past two decades. The US has taken steps to reverse Beijing’s advance, including stripping officials in Costa Rica, Panama, and Chile of their US visas and threatening to take back the Panama Canal.

Gimena Sanchez, Andes director at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), a US-based research and advocacy group, notes that many countries in the region are trying to strike a balance between the two powers. “For most countries, China is either their top, second or third trading partner,” she said.

The event has sparked interest among experts, who will be watching closely for any concrete offers from the Trump administration. The US imports from Latin America jumped to $661bn in 2024, and its exports were valued at $517bn, highlighting the region’s significant economic ties with the country.

Source: Al Jazeera