Argentine experts, businessmen, universities and media representatives will update today at a seminar on how China’s cooperation with the region boosts the development of these nations.

The forum at the centrally located Palladio Hotel is chaired by Chinese Ambassador Wang Wei, who will give an assessment of the recent ministerial meeting in Beijing between his country and members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

In an article by Wang to which Prensa Latina had access prior to this important meeting, the head of mission assured that China is willing to promote cooperation with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), including Argentina, and thus «paint a beautiful picture of the development of the Global South.

As an example of the result of this beneficial cooperation, the ambassador pointed out that China became the second largest trading partner of LAC, after having been the first partner of Brazil and Chile for several years.

In 2024, the trade volume between the Asian Giant and LAC exceeded 500 billion dollars, the equivalent of multiplying by 40 times the figures reached in 2000, the diplomat illustrated.

China implemented more than 200 infrastructure projects in the region, which provided almost one million jobs, Wang said in his article published by Prensa Latina before the start of the IV Ministerial Meeting of the China-Celac Forum in Beijing.

The ambassador added that the China-LAC Infrastructure Loan, for 20 billion dollars, and the China-Caribbean Infrastructure Loan, for another two and a half billion dollars, managed by the Chinese Development Bank, serve to finance long-term projects for the construction of infrastructure works and the industrialisation of the region.

Wang exemplifies that almost 100 billion dollars from the Chinese side are used to promote tangible projects such as the Belo Monte power transmission project in Brazil, the Helios wind farm in Argentina, the Port of Chancay in Peru, and Line 1 of the Bogotá Metro (Colombia). They are also used in Jamaica’s first modern highway, projects that foster a new type of industrialisation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Thanks to the support of President Xi Jinping and the leaders of the LAC countries, their relations have been making significant progress in terms of equality, mutual benefits, innovation, openness and well-being of the people, the ambassador said. Today, more than 20 LAC countries are participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, in addition to the growing number of nations joining the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative (GSI) promoted by Beijing.

In this way, «we will be sailing the ship of a true community of shared future between the two regions,» said the Head of Mission.