China Deepens Cooperation with CELAC States
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a call to promote cooperation between China and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, in a speech via video conference during the third Meeting of Ministers of the China-CELAC Forum.
The meeting was held with the theme of “Together Overcoming Current Difficulties and Creating Opportunities to continue building a China-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Community”.
Addressing Minsters of 28 member states, Xi Jinping stressed that over the past seven years, and since the establishment of the China-CELAC Forum, the sides have acted on the basis of the original purpose of the forum, strengthening unity and collaboration, as well as promoting South-South cooperation. According to Xi, this has become an important platform for the search for mutual benefit, while relations between China and the countries of the Americas have been brought into a new era of equality, innovation, openness and benefit for the peoples.
The Chinese President noted that the world has entered a new period of volatility and transformation, and said that China and the CELAC countries must face new challenges, including post-pandemic economic recovery.
Xi invited the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to be an active part of the Global Development Initiative and to work together with China to overcome current challenges, create more opportunities and build a global development community with a shared future.
Finally, the Chinese leader called on both sides to jointly outline a plan for China-CELAC relations, boost cooperation between both sides, and make new contributions for the well-being of peoples and the cause of human progress.
CELAC is a regional bloc of 33 nations of the Americas, originally positioned as an alternative to the interventionist Organization of American States (OAS), and unlike in the OAS, the United States and Canada are not members.
The final declaration of the Forum states that the CCF is determined to work together as the main platform of China-Latin America and the Caribbean cooperation and solidarity and to deepen cooperation in various fields “for a new era characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefits for the people”.
Link: Declaration of the Third Ministerial Meeting of the China-Celac Forum
Link: China – Celac Joint Action Plan for Cooperation in Key Areas (2022-2024)
