China seeks leveled up cooperation with LAC countries along Belt and Road

Chinese authorities, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi, have been promoting the Belt and Road Initative to Latin American and Caribbean countries as part of sessions now underway in Chile's capital, Santiago.

Tie between China and Latin America and the Caribbean have already been expanding, as China is now the top trading partner of many countries in the region, including Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

Bilateral cooperation has also been extended to areas including innovation, infrastructure construction and culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Ahead of the second Ministerial Meeting of the China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Forum, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China wants to create stronger ties with Latin American and Caribbean countries in helping expand the Belt and Road initiative.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with his Chilean counterpart Heraldo Munoz in Chile's capital, Santiago on Jan 21, 2018. [Photo: gov.cn]

Chile's Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz has lauded China for rejecting protectionism, adding that Latin America could put more effort into expanding trade and ties with China and take advantage of the talks to do so.

Wang Xiaoyuan, former Chinese Ambassador to Uruguay, Costa Rica and Columbia, says the Belt and Road Initative provides a chance for Latin American and Caribbean countries to integrate their projects with Chinese know-how.

Former Chinese Ambassador to Uruguay, Costa Rica and Columbia, Sino-LAC relation expert Wang Xiaoyuan [Photo: China Plus]

"Through the Belt and Road Initiative, the two sides now have a framework to help build bilateral cooperation. Latin American countries have been making bigger steps in economic development. China can help improve on that through its advantages in manufacturing, energy, infrastructure construction, finance and other areas. We need to combine the development strengths of both sides," Wang said.

It's expected the ministerial meeting will create cooperation plans for the next five years.

China will reportedly offer the region 250 billion dollars in investment opportunties over the next decade.

Former Ecuadorian Ambassador to China, José Borja, says Latin American and Caribbean countries believe China has mutual development in mind.

Former Ecuadorian Ambassador to China José Borja [Photo: China Plus]

"I think this meeting is very important, because it represents the diplomatic efforts made by both China and Latin American and Caribbean countries. I want to emphasize that the two sides have strong willingness to upgrade bilateral relations. In the long run, it would surely help improve people's livelihood in both China and Latin America, which is the ultimate goal of economic development," Borja said.

Cultural exchanges have also been on the rise between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Chinese language learning has been bolstered by the establishment of 50 Confucius Institutes in Latin American and Caribbean countries, with over 50,000 students currently learning Mandarin and other aspects of the Chinese culture.

Roberto Lafontaine is the head of the Confucius Institute in Latin America and the Caribbean.

"The Confucius Institute has consistently bridged China and Latin American and Caribbean countries. It lays a solid foundation for mutual understanding and play a remarkable role in boosting bilateral political and economic cooperation. I must stress here that a political and economic relationship without cultural understanding is vague and meaningless," Lafontaine said.

Head of the Confucius Institute in Latin America and the Caribbean Roberto Lafontaine [Photo: China Plus]

The forum between China and Latin American and Carribean countries includes the 33 member nations of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

The ministerial meeting this year features some parallel sessions covering areas such as politics, industry, tourism and agriculture.

The first ministerial meeting of the forum was held in Beijing in 2015.