President Xi Jinping vowed on Tuesday to boost China's footprint in Latin America and the Caribbean with a new $9 billion credit line and fresh infrastructure investment, although Brazil warned the region not to become overly reliant on foreign funding.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has taken aim at “bullying” and “hegemonism,” in his first public remarks since a temporary truce over tariffs was agreed in the trade war between the United States and China.

In a subtle jab at the US, the Chinese president pledges US$9.2 billion to the region that has emerged as a key battleground.

President Xi Jinping announced on Tuesday the launch of five programs for cooperation between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, covering areas such as politics, economic development and people-to-people exchanges, and he called on the two sides to jointly write a new chapter in building the China-LAC community with a shared future.

China is moving to strengthen its alliances with other countries as a counterweight to President Donald Trump’s trade war, presenting a united front with Latin American leaders a day after China and the US agreed to a 90-day truce in their tariffs stalemate.