CHINA’S Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, has called for a closer partnership and greater participation to be observed between China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

The minister made these remarks on the heels of the Second Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, which will be held in Santiago, Chile, tomorrow.

The minister said that the meeting will set the stage for greater progress in the relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries in the new era. He stated that the forum will allow the participant countries to sum up what has been achieved and plan for the future to take the existing bilateral partnerships to a higher level.

“Established in 2014 at the initiative of President Xi Jinping, the China-CELAC Forum is an important milestone of China’s distinct foreign policy approach, signifying a new stage of mutually reinforcing progress of bilateral ties and regional cooperation in China-LAC relations,” the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister said.

“It has extended China’s regional cooperation frameworks to cover all developing countries, contributed to a full-fledged structure of China’s foreign policy, added another platform for South-South cooperation and provided strong support to building a community with a shared future for China and LAC countries.”

He stated that over the past three years, the China-CELAC Forum has made solid steps and delivered tangible results. Some of these include the hosting of 17 sub-forum sessions to promote cooperation in over 10 areas. “The dialogue and exchange mechanisms between the two sides have strengthened and expanded.

China’s financing measures towards LAC countries have been steadily implemented, supporting more than 80 projects concerning people’s livelihoods in over 20 LAC countries. China has invited over 800 party leaders and 200 young leaders from LAC countries to visit China, and provided nearly 4,000 training opportunities and some 200 opportunities for on-the-job master’s programme,” he said.

“The “China-LAC Science and Technology Partnership” and the “China-LAC Young Scientists Exchange Programme” have been successfully implemented. The “Year of Cultural Exchanges”, with its diverse and exciting activities, has allowed people in China and Latin America and the Caribbean to get a taste of each other’s splendid culture despite the geographic distance.”

Minister Yi said that the remarkable progress of China-LAC relations testifies to the commitment of the country’s diplomatic vision. “We are committed to mutual respect and peaceful development… We are committed to win-win results and a principled approach toward shared interests…

We are committed to openness and inclusiveness in facilitating inter-civilisational exchanges,” the minister said, while citing numerous examples. China’s commitment along these lines, including President Xi’s multiple visits to LAC countries where he had substantive interactions with LAC leaders on bilateral and multilateral relations as well as the country’s move to open 36 Confucius Institutes and 11 Confucius Classrooms in 16 LAC countries and the first Chinese Cultural Centre in Mexico City, among other initiatives.

“The Chinese dream and the LAC dream, which both put people first, are closely linked. China and LAC countries both belong to the developing world and pursuing national development and people’s happiness is our shared dream,” Minister Yi said. “We have drawn on each other’s experience in national governance, particularly improving people’s lives, narrowing development gaps and enhancing the capacity for managing public policy and services. As good brothers, good partners and good friends, we will work hand in hand to build a China-LAC community with a shared future.”

He added that with China’s major-country diplomacy entering a new era and China-LAC relations standing at a new starting point, the Second Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum will bring together countries from both sides of the Pacific under a shared vision for development and cooperation.

“Five years since President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative for international cooperation in 2013, this inspiring vision is being translated into actions and fruitful outcomes on the ground. This initiative has gained wide recognition from LAC countries and the rest of the world, and [has] become one of the most popular global public goods. As a natural extension of the ancient maritime Silk Road, the LAC region is indispensable to the development of the Belt and Road Initiative,” he said.

“Many countries in the Region hope that cooperation under this initiative will boost their own development and take China-LAC relations to a new level. The Argentinian and Chilean presidents and high-level representatives of many other LAC countries attended the inaugural Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China last May, and many LAC countries have signed industrial cooperation agreements with China. This is a good start for our joint effort to bring the Belt and Road Initiative to this Region.”

The minister said that as moves are made to jointly advance the Belt and Road Initiative, China hopes to synergise the development strategies of the collective countries at a higher level, promote China-LAC practical cooperation, consolidate the popular foundation for China-LAC cooperation and make China-LAC cooperation a new paradigm for South-South cooperation.

“China and LAC countries are both developing countries, and we both have our dreams and visions. Across the vast ocean, we look forward to joining hands with our LAC colleagues. It is my belief that with firm determination and persistent efforts, China-LAC cooperation will continue to score new progress in the new era,” Minister Yi said. “Let’s unite our efforts and build toward a new form of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation and a community with a shared future for mankind. Together, we will contribute to an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity.”