On the morning of May 22, 2019, the opening ceremony of the “China-Latin America and Caribbean Region Legal Professionals Exchange Program” was held at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE), China. Notably, a number of important figures attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Those people include: Zhang Mingqi (Vice-president and Secretary General of China Law Society), Ding Shan (Counsellor of the Department of Latin America and Caribbean Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China), He Pin Wei (Vice-president of the Shanghai Law Society and Director of the Social and Legal Committee of the Shanghai Political Consultative Conference), Xu Tao (the Party Secretary of SUFE), and Ignacio Concha (Consul General, Consulate General of Chile in Shanghai). Meanwhile, Zheng Shaohua, assistant to the president and Director of China-Latin America Legal Research Center of SUFE, presided over the opening ceremony. This event was sponsored by China Law Society and co-organized by Shanghai Law Society and SUFE. Pablo Obregón(Consul-General of Consulate General of Argentina in Shanghai), Néstor Enrique Torres Olivera (Consul-General of Consulate General of Cuba in Shanghai), Patrick Petiot(Consul of Consulate General of Brazil in Shanghai),Mauricio Miranda Chavez(Vice-consul, Consulate General of the Republic of Ecuador in Shanghai) and other guests, as well as 20 participants from 14 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean Region and representatives of law school faculty and students of SUFE attended the opening ceremony.
In his speech Mr. Zhang Mingqi pointed out that civilizations could exchange because of diversity, exchanges promote mutual learning, and mutual learning promotes development. This is also true for the civilization of the rule of law. It is of tremendous significance to encourage exchanges between Chinese and Latin American legal communities, enhance mutual trust in the rule of law, consolidate the consensus of the rule of law, and thus to deepen the understanding of each other's legal systems and developmental pathways. The high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road” has put forward higher requirements for fortifying linkage and coordination of the China-Latin America rules, improving Chinese and Latin legal protection system, and promoting communication and cooperation between China and Latin America in the rule of law. The careful cultivation and high-quality development of the “Belt and Road” are reflected in the key words of innovation, openness, greenness, probity, fairness of opportunity, serving the people. The realization of these keywords is inseparable from the protection of the rule of law. Only by working together, attending to the rule of law, promoting cooperation in the rule of law, and building stable, fair and transparent rules and governance frameworks can we ensure a high-quality, sustainable development of the “Belt and Road” and achieve desirable goals.
Ding Shan emphasized that the key of the long-term rapid and healthy development of the China-Latin America relation lies in "three commitments". First, the two sides always adhere to equal treatment, mutual respect and mutual trust, which is the essential feature of the China-Latin America relation. Second, they always adhere to mutual benefits and common development. This sets a brightest background for China-Latin America cooperation. And the third is to always adhere to mutual exchanges and mutual learning through heart by heart, which is the important substance of the China-Latin America relation. He further pointed out that the "Belt and Road" cooperation of China and Latin America is in line with needs, and in shared interests, of both sides. At present, the China-Latin America relation is in a period of rapid development. This exchange program will help Latin American students to expand their knowledge and deepen their understanding of Chinese law and legal system.
He Pinwei said that the importance of law in promoting the development of a fair and reasonable international system and global order in terms of promoting inter-state relations, regional relations, and international relations has become increasingly prominent. The exchange program was held to provide a professional platform for China and Latin American and Caribbean countries to enhance understanding, expand consensus, strengthen friendship and encourage cooperation, advance the development of regional rule of law, and stimulate economic development and trade between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries. It is of great importance to speed up pragmatic exchanges and cooperation in the legal field and to construct a more transparent, fair, reasonable and effective international governance system.
On behalf of SUFE, Xu Tao expressed warm welcome to the envoys and program participants from the Latin American and Caribbean countries. He introduced the developmental history of SUFE and the development in law science in SUFE. After years of development, SUFE Law School has possessed a distinctive feature of combining law and finance, and has produced prolific research. Notably, researching and constructing the rule of law in Shanghai Free Trade Zone is the spotlight of SUFE school of law’s scholarly efforts, and more importantly, this law school has been committed to exerting a greater influence in the field. The research conducted by the law school involves, but not limited to, the transformation of government’s functions, financial innovation, trade facilitation, intellectual property protection, competition law and policy, ecological and environmental protection, judicial guarantee, financial crime in construction of free trade zones, and the like. He further said that he hopes to deepen the exchanges and cooperation between Shanghai and the legal communities of Latin American and Caribbean countries through this program.
Ignacio Concha said that Chile and China have maintained close friendship and cooperation in fields of diplomacy, economy and trade since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1970. There is broad space for cooperation in trade, education, environment, science and technology, investment, tourism and so on. The construction of the “Belt and Road” is the same as the construction of the Great Wall as millennium project. The difference is that the Great Wall is to resist foreign enemies, and the “Belt and Road” initiative is not to divide but to integrate the world and make global friends. Chile has a full expectation for future cooperation with China in areas of common interests.
Representing of all program participants, Maria Amparo Alban, Board Member and Professor of International Research Center on Environment and Territory of the Los Hemisferios University in Ecuador, said that development requires the collaboration of people around the world, and this collaboration takes time and needs bridges to improve knowledge and build trust. The green, sustainable and high-quality development provided by China's “Belt and Road” is exactly what Latin American people need. She expressed deep appreciation to the people's shared vision of "protecting our common homeland" mentioned by Chinese President Xi Jinping in the keynote speech on the Second “Belt and Road” Forum for International Cooperation.
Since its establishment in 2007 by China Law Society, China-Latin America Legal Forum has operated as a long-term exchange channel and cooperation platform for legal professionals of China and Latin America and Caribbean Countries. It seeks to strengthen dialogue and exchanges and mutual trust between legal professionals of China and Latin America, and to intensify China-Latin America economic and trade cooperation. This program is an enrichment, development and extension of "China-Latin America Legal Forum" with the purpose to further strengthen the friendship, mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation between the legal professionals of China and Latin America, and to enhance mutual understanding and friendship.
