BEIJING - Latin America is no one's backyard and has the right to independently choose development path and cooperation partners, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday.

Last week, the Economist and the New York Times wrote that the United States has adopted an aggressive policy of pressuring Latin American countries this year, claiming to push out China's "exploitative practices" in an effort to safeguard regional security and stability. The United States coerced regional countries to limit or even cut ties with China but it offers little in return. The US sanctions, tariffs and its use of military muscle are pushing the region closer to China.

"The commentary yet again shows that coercion and pressuring as well as bullying only serve to push countries away and will increasingly not work," Lin said at a regular news briefing.

He said China and Latin America are good friends and good partners for equality, mutual benefit and common development. Openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation are the hallmark of cooperation between China and the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. A closer partnership is the choice of the Chinese and Latin American peoples and serves the common interest of both sides.

China welcomes countries around the world developing friendly and cooperative ties with Latin American countries based on equality and respect, he said.

Lin urged the United States to stop forcing them to choose sides, stop interfering in their domestic affairs and do more to contribute to their development and prosperity, instead of meddling and sowing discord.

"No attempt to disrupt China's friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with Latin America will ever succeed," the spokesperson said.