On December 12, 2021, Chinese Ambassador to Bolivia Mr. Huang Yazhong published an article on The People, a government organ of Bolivia, entitled “A Grand Gathering of China and Latin America for a Shared Future” on the Third Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum. The full article runs as follows:
On December 3, the Third Ministerial Meeting of China-CELAC Forum was held via video link. Chinese President Xi Jinping and CELAC rotating chair President López of Mexico addressed the Forum. Representatives of China and CELAC countries including Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Bolivian Foreign Minister Mayta gathered online and reached extensive consensus on deepening strategic mutual trust between China and Latin America and practical cooperation in key areas.
I. New progress in building a China-LAC community of a shared future
In September this year, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Development Initiative at the UN, in which he called for strengthened cooperation in eight major fields of poverty reduction, food security, epidemic response and vaccine cooperation, development financing, climate change and green development, industrialization, the digital economy, and connectivity, and for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Statement of the Third Ministerial Meeting of China-LAC Forum and the CELAC and China Joint Plan of Action for Cooperation on Priority Areas (2022-2024) fully demonstrate the high-level political trust and the strong will of the two sides to deepen friendly cooperation. To implement the Global Development Initiative, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced a series of cooperation measures as followed including that China will set up two special loans worth of US$1 billion respectively for development cooperation and cooperation on the digital economy, with the purpose of supporting practical cooperation on the eight priority areas and supporting green, low-carbon, and sustainable development of the two sides. China pledged to promote the UN Food Program to use the China-UN South-South Cooperation Fund to support Latin America in dealing with the issue of food security. China also pledged to establish the China-Caribbean Development Center to provide government scholarships and training opportunities for Latin American and Caribbean countries. These measures have been warmly welcomed by countries in the region and injected strong vigor and vitality in high-quality development of China-Latin America relations in the new era.
II. China-CELAC cooperation has yielded fruitful results
Putting priority on development, openness and inclusiveness are the defining features of China-Latin America cooperation. Over the past 7 years since the founding of China-CELAC Forum, the two sides have remained committed to the spirit of strengthening solidarity and cooperation, and promoting South-South cooperation and has developed the Forum into a major platform for mutually beneficial cooperation and brought China-Latin America relations into the new era of equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefit for the people.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has stood in solidarity with Latin America in epidemic response and has all-together provided over 300 million COVID vaccines and nearly 40 million items of anti-epidemic materials to Latin America, which has helped built a line of defense for safeguarding the life and health of people in Latin America, promoted its economic reopening and given birth to new forms and models of businesses such as the digital economy. Last year, the trade volume between China and Latin America exceeded US$ 300 billion for the third consecutive year and is expected to exceed US$ 400 billion this year. At the Forum, representatives of the Latin American side expressed their deep appreciation for the valuable support of China, the willingness for deepening cooperation and the hope for accelerated economic and social development.
As pointed out by President Xi Jinping in his address, history has taught us that peaceful development, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation are the sure path to success. Both at the developing stage, China and Latin America are comprehensive cooperative partners based on equality and mutual benefit for common development. The shared dreams of independence and development have united us closely together.
III. China-Latin America Cooperation is in the interests of both China and Bolivia
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the CPC. Not long ago, the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held, which summarized the major achievements and important historical experience of the CPC during its 100-year struggles. China has realized the first centenary goal and has embarked on the new journey toward realizing the second centenary goal and the “Chinese dream” of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. As an important country in Latin America, Bolivia has also formulated ambitious development plans before the upcoming 200th anniversary of national independence and is marching toward the “Bolivian dream” of independence through unity.
China-Bolivia cooperation and China-Latin America cooperation reinforce each other. I am convinced that taking this meeting as a new start, China and Latin America will surely take new strides on the path of win-win cooperation with great solidarity and that overall cooperation between China and Latin America will surely bring new opportunities for the further development of China-Bolivia relations. Looking into the future, China is ready to work with Bolivia to jointly draw a blueprint for China-Latin America relations, inject new vigor for China-Latin America cooperation and make new contribution for the well-being of people of China and Latin America and the progress of mankind.
