China and CELAC:A New Model of South-South Cooperation

The first ministerial meeting of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States （CELAC） concluded in Beijing on January 9， 2015. The meeting passed such major documents as the Beijing Declaration， a five-year cooperation plan， and the regulations on the China-CELAC Forum.

It was a historic， high-profile and large-scale meeting. The foreign ministers and representatives of CELAC member states gathered in Beijing， creating a new record in the history of China-CELAC exchanges. Both sides expressed a strong“China-CELAC” voice to the world.

As an opening chapter to Chinas all-round diplomacy in 2015， the meeting served as an important step through which China and CELAC can bring into effect the consensus that President Xi Jinping and Latin American and Caribbean state leaders reached during their meeting in Brasilia last July. It marked the official launch of the China-CELAC Forum and the transition of the concept into reality. The Forum is a cooperation platform that for the first time in history covers China and all Latin American and Caribbean countries. China-CELAC relations， therefore， have entered a new era， featuring parallel development of comprehensive cooperation and bilateral relations， as well as mutual promotion. China and CELAC are embracing a new opportunity to push their bilateral comprehensive cooperative partnership towards equality， mutual benefit， and common development.

Amid rapid political multi-polarization and economic globalization， China has become the worlds second-largest economy. The status of Latin American and Caribbean countries in the international community has also risen. The trend wherein China and CELAC rely on each others development strategies is now emerging. Meanwhile， cooperation between the two sides is accelerating and expanding， realizing leapfrog development. Since 2000， trade between China and Latin America has grown an average 30 percent annually， which is miraculous in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Today， China has become the third biggest trading partner of Latin America， after the U.S. and the European Union. It is notable that the volume of Latin Americas exports to China is expanding at the fastest rate in the world， while the region is a major investment destination for Chinese enterprises， next to Asia.

China and CELAC states are sincere friends who respect and closely cooperate with one another. Projects that China has supported in Latin American and Caribbean states have enhanced local peoples living standards. Equally， resources and products from these regions have contributed to Chinas development and enriched Chinese peoples lives. As it always does in other regions， China assists Latin American and Caribbean states without imposing any political conditions. Its sincerity is hence widely applauded in developing countries.endprint

Chinese President Xi Jinping has visited Latin America twice in less than two years since taking office. More important， he has met with all top leaders of Latin American and Caribbean countries that have diplomatic relations with China， so underlining the significant role that they play in Chinas diplomatic structure.

At the opening ceremony， President Xi delivered an important speech on how to advance China-CELAC cooperation. He stressed that both sides should stick to the cooperative principle of equality， the cooperative objective of mutual benefit and win-win results， the cooperative approach of flexibility and practicality， and the cooperative spirit of openness and inclusiveness. He thus charted the course for the sound development of the Forum.

Xis speech makes clear that China will practice the majorcountry diplomatic concept with Chinese characteristics in an in-depth way， implement the correct viewpoint of righteousness and benefit， and establish a community of shared destiny with Latin American and Caribbean countries. This will exert significant and far-reaching influence on unity and cooperation between China and other developing countries； it will closely link Chinas development with that of other developing countries， and promote South-South cooperation and establishment of the new-type international relations with win-win cooperation at the core.

While laying a foundation for a closer China-CELAC relationship， the Forum also acknowledged the common challenges with which both sides are faced. Documents signed during the meeting are expected to directly influence bilateral trade， effectively boost Chinas investment in Latin American and Caribbean states， and promote in-depth China-CELAC cooperation.

However， disagreements and commercial disputes occasionally occur between the two sides. This is understandable， since even the closest friends may not always agree. The key lies in our attitudes， and how we resolve conflicts. The bilateral relations are developing rapidly， whereas the two sides have not had a long association. The Chinese side believes that this is the cause of certain divergences， or， say， “maladjustments.”Hence， more time and patience are required for both sides to better comprehend one another. At the same time， differences should be resolved under the principles of mutual respect， mutual benefit， and win-win results.

The Forum signifies that China and CELAC， true friends， are setting up a new model of South-South cooperation and enhancing the friendship that formed on the Maritime Silk Road， 450 years ago.endprint