The Forum of Interchange between China-Latin America and the Caribbean Think Tanks (hereinafter referred to as “China-LAC Think Tank Forum) aims at strengthening the sharing of experience and knowledge between think tanks of China and Latin American and the Caribbean states, and providing intellectual support for the deepening of China-Latin America relations.
The first China-LAC Think Tank Forum was held in Beijing on November 8th and 9th, 2010, attended by over 100 experts and scholars of renowned think tanks of China and Latin American and the Caribbean states. Xu Jialu, Vice-chairman of the 10th NPC Standing Committee, former Governor General of Jamaica Sir Kenneth O. Hall, and then Chinese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Li Jinzhang attended and addressed the opening ceremony.
The Forum was hosted by the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), with the theme of “China-Latin America Relations with Important Opportunities – Looking into the Future Ten Years”. Participants conducted heated discussions over the topics of “China-Latin America Relations – Today and Tomorrow”, “China-Latin America Trade Relations under the New Circumstances – Deepening Cooperation for Mutual Benefit”, and “China-Latin America Friendship – Role of Cultural and Academic Exchange”, and proposed concrete suggestions. The holding of the Forum is a new try to substantiate China-Latin America comprehensive relations, which offers an important platform for the experts and scholars of the two sides to strengthen exchange and mutual learning.
The second China-LAC Think Tank Forum was held in Beijing on July 22nd and 23rd, 2013, co-hosed by China Foundation for International Studies (CFIS) and the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign affairs (CPIFA). Chinese State-Councilor Yang Jiechi, then Minister of Culture Cai Wu, Vice-Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Chen Fengxiang, then Vice-Minister of Commerce Wang Chao, then Chairman of CFIS Zhang Deguang, and President of CPIFA Yang Wenchang attended and addressed the opening ceremony.
The theme of the Forum was “New Opportunities, New Challenges and New Ideas –China-Latin America Relations under the New Circumstances”. Over 100 people including former state leaders, scholars of renowned think tanks, diplomats from Latin American countries to China, media representatives and well-known business leaders of China and 16 Latin American and the Caribbean states carried out discussions and exchanges over three topics of “New Problems Facing China-Latin America Business and Investment Cooperation and New Ideas for Development”, “Reality and Prospects for China-Latin America People-to-People and Cultural Cooperation”, and “Promoting China-Latin America Overall Cooperation and Deepening Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership”, and released a Beijing Consensus of China-Latin America Think Tanks.
