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Beijing’s opening to de la Espriella
China signaled openness to working with incoming President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella after a preliminary count put him narrowly ahead of leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda in Colombia’s presidential runoff.
“Trump-backed de la Espriella holds razor-thin lead in Colombia’s election as rival challenges vote Trump-backed de la Espriella holds razor-thin lead in Colombia’s election as rival challenges vote BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Political outsider Abelardo de la Espriella held a razor-thin lead in Colombia’s presidential election with nearly all the votes counted Sunday, in a runoff vote marked by people’s fears of a renewed internal conflict”
Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said, "China … congratulates Colombia on the smooth second round of presidential elections," and added that Beijing viewed the relationship "from a strategic height and long-term perspective."
The South China Morning Post reported that Beijing offered to work with the new government even though de la Espriella’s campaign built around Washington rather than China and included a promised security alliance with the US and Israel.
The count was still not final because Cepeda was challenging results at about 33,000 polling stations, while outgoing President Gustavo Petro alleged irregularities without presenting evidence.
The same article said de la Espriella had promised to revive Plan Colombia, the US-funded military and counter-narcotics programme that anchored the alliance from 2000.
US tilt and Colombia’s vote
Across coverage of Colombia’s runoff, de la Espriella’s Trump-backed campaign was framed around a crackdown on crime and armed groups, with the preliminary vote showing him at 49.66% against Cepeda’s 48.70%.
CNN reported that with 99.91% of the votes counted, the preliminary count showed the 47-year-old with a narrow margin against his government-backed rival Iván Cepeda.
In Barranquilla, de la Espriella told supporters, "We are beginning a new era!" and promised that for those who had sown violence, terror, drug trafficking, and corruption, "their time is up!"
The Associated Press said de la Espriella told thousands of supporters behind bulletproof glass in Barranquilla, "there will be no retaliation, no persecution, because in a democracy there are no irreconcilable enemies."
AP also reported that Cepeda said his campaign considers the count "unofficial and non-binding" and that his team will challenge results from more than 30,000 voting stations.
China, Washington, and the next moves
The South China Morning Post linked Beijing’s outreach to the incoming government’s stated direction, noting that de la Espriella promised to pull Colombia back towards the United States.
“BARRANQUILLA, Colombia: A flamboyant US-backed lawyer who has never held public office narrowly won Colombia's presidential runoff on Sunday (Jun 21), swinging the country hard right with a promise to wage war against drug-running guerrilla groups”
It reported that de la Espriella ran on a security alliance with the US and Israel and won an endorsement from US President Donald Trump, while China congratulated Colombia and said it would work with the new government.
Radio-Canada framed Trump’s broader approach in the Americas as a contest with "Chinese and Russian rivals," describing a context of hegemonic rivalry between the United States and China that has drawn closer to Russia.
In that same Radio-Canada account, it said Trump promised to seize Greenland "before Russia or China does," and it cited NORAD confirmation of more frequent and coordinated Russian and Chinese activity in the region over the past year.
Together, the sources depict a Colombia transition where China’s willingness to engage is paired with a US-tilted campaign agenda, while the wider US-China rivalry remains a central backdrop for how Washington’s moves are interpreted.
