In the 16th-17th century, people, goods, and news traveling between China and Spain usually did so through the Philippines (where there was a large Chinese settlement) and (via the Manila galleon trade) to Mexico.

[1] After World War II, Colombia established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in 1949.

[2] During the Korean War, both Colombia and the People's Republic of China (PRC) fought on opposite sides in the conflict.

In September 1977, a group of Colombians of all political and ideological tendencies and of all social origins; organized themselves into the Colombia-China Friendship Association, which began to act under the premises established by their Chinese counterpart and which sought to support the cause of the establishment of relations between the PRC and Colombia based on the One-China policy, and to expand the space of cultural and historical recognition regardless of political or ideological affiliation.

[2] Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, high-level meetings have been held and a friendly relationship has been strengthened in various areas such as multilateral, technical, educational, cultural, military, economic and commercial cooperation, among others.