Before Duque entered office, Colombia saw relatively little Chinese economic activity compared to its neighbors. Duque has steadily strengthened the bilateral relationship. During a state visit in July 2019, he signed deals to export avocados and bananas to China, among other agreements. Later that year, Chinese companies won a multi-billion-dollar contract to construct a metro line in Bogotá, an investment that to many observers signaled China’s real arrival in Colombia. Although it is not a member of the Belt and Road Initiative, Colombia has received notable Chinese transportation investments, including a tram line to Bogotá’s suburbs and electric buses in Cali and Medellín. Construction on what is set to be one of the region’s largest Chinese embassies began in Bogotá in 2018, and diplomatic gestures have ramped up during the pandemic. In March, Colombian Ambassador to the U.N. Alicia Arango praised China’s efforts to provide vaccines, as well as what she described as China’s “progress” in human rights, provoking criticism. Vaccines from Sinovac were the first to arrive in Colombia. In a video message that followed one shipment, Duque thanked Xi for the vaccines, adding that he hoped to visit China in 2021.