"Development", "partnership", "mutual trust" and "community of shared future" have become key words in China-Latin America relations

In 2024, leaders or foreign ministers from as many as nine Latin American and Caribbean countries have visited China. The frequent high-level exchanges between China and Latin America demonstrate the warmth and high level of bilateral relations. Through the analysis of relevant press releases, the reporter found that "development", "cooperation", "partnership", "mutual trust" and "community of common destiny" are frequent keywords.

 

At present, the realization of independent development, especially more sustainable and inclusive economic growth and modernization, has become an important development goal for Latin America. The visiting Cuban Foreign minister has given his answer to why Latin American and Caribbean countries regard China, which is so far away, as a partner on their development path.

 

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said that China has always been an indispensable and selfless friend of Cuba. Cuba shares China's vision, based on sovereign equality, multilateralism, the pursuit of peace and the promotion of common interests, and has established an example of mutual benefit as a model for inter-State relations. Cuba has paid close attention to and actively participated in China's great initiatives, and the two peoples have established close friendship.

 

In 2014, the China-CELAC Forum was officially established, opening up new avenues for China-CELAC overall cooperation. The two sides have joined hands to build a China-Latin America community with a shared future. Deepening political mutual trust has become the cornerstone for the two sides to expand cooperation in various fields.

 

China's appeal is growing. In recent years, Panama, Dominica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras have established or restored diplomatic relations with China. Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay and Nicaragua have become comprehensive strategic partners with China. Venezuela and China have upgraded their relations to an all-weather strategic partnership.

 

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Christopher Hill said that Venezuela is the only country in Latin America and the Caribbean that has an all-weather strategic partnership with China. At present, the two countries have carried out active cooperation in energy, agriculture, culture, sports, aerospace, science and technology and other fields. In addition, trade between Venezuela and China continues to expand, but this is not enough, Venezuela is also continuing to improve business cooperation and strive to trade in the local currency. In short, Venezuela and China have a common future, a future full of hope and mutually beneficial for both peoples.

 

Win-win cooperation is the source of vitality for the continuous development of China-Latin America relations.

 

Over the past 20 years, the trade volume between China and Latin America has increased by more than 30 times. In 2023, the trade volume between China and Latin America exceeded 489 billion US dollars. In recent years, in the field of infrastructure, which once hindered the development of Latin American countries, China and Latin America have made major breakthroughs in cooperation, providing impetus for the industrialization and re-industrialization of Latin American countries.

 

Although the United States, which regards Latin America as its backyard, has frequently pointed fingers and smears attacks on China-Latin America cooperation, Latin American and Caribbean countries have still made independent decisions, constantly boosting the "heat" of China-Latin America cooperation. Behind the strength and resilience of China-Latin America relations is the strength manifested by the concepts of equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefiting the people. With the expansion of cooperation areas and improvement of cooperation mechanisms, China and Latin America have joined hands on the road to modernization and development, bringing new vitality to global economic development and South-South cooperation.

(Excerpt from: Global Network)