Building a Community of Shared Destiny for Common Progress President Xi Jinping’s discourses on China-Latin America relations

Source: People’s Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping is going to pay state visits to Ecuador, Peru and Chile. China and Latin American and the Caribbean states are all developing countries in about the same development stage and face the same task of striving for development. In recent years, the relations between China and Latin American and the Caribbean countries have gained great development. President Xi made a number of comments on the relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean, expecting the two sides to build a community of shared destiny for common progress, and create a splendid future.

1. Open and inclusive process featuring win-win cooperation

China and Latin America and the Caribbean share the same approach to development. We have found increasingly more common language whether in respective nation-building and governance or in international affairs. Facts have proven, and will continue to show, that the growth of China-Latin America relations is an open and inclusive process featuring win-win cooperation. It not only serves the common interests of the two sides, but also contributes to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world at large.

(May 2013, a joint written interview to the media of Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Mexico ahead of President Xi Jinping’s state visits to the three countries)

2. An important window of opportunity for the development of relations

We believe that the further Latin America develops, the better it is for the world and China as well.

At present, there is an important window of opportunity for the development of relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean. We should take a far-sighted view, keep abreast of the times, build on the traditional friendship, enhance all-dimensional exchanges, upgrade cooperation and work for fresh and greater progress in the Partnership of Comprehensive Cooperation featuring equality, mutual benefit and common development between China and Latin America and the Caribbean.

(June 5^th 2013, President Xi Jinping’s speech at the Senate of Mexico)

3. Set a model for South-South cooperation

China and Latin American and the Caribbean states are all developing countries in about the same development stage and face the same task of striving for development. We support each other in pursuing development paths that suit our respective national conditions and are committed to making the international order more just and equitable. These are the fundamental reasons which enable us to seek common ground while shelving differences and stand by each other’s side in our joint pursuit of development.

Since the beginning of the new century, China and Latin American and the Caribbean states, focusing on the theme of common development, have deepened mutual trust in the political field, expanded cooperation in economy and trade, learned from each other in cultural and people-to-people exchanges and coordinated closely in international affairs. This has made it possible for us to make big strides in our relations and set a model for South-South cooperation.

(July 2014, President Xi Jinping’s joint written interview with the major media organizations from Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba)

4. The “Chinese Dream” and the “Latin American Dream” are closely linked

The relations between China and Latin America have witnessed a comprehensive and rapid development in the 21st century, and brought real benefits to the people of China and Latin America. It is common expectation of the two peoples to comprehensively enhance cooperative relations featuring mutual benefit between China and Latin American countries. China is willing to work jointly with Brazil and other Latin American and Caribbean countries, and to make the two sides good friends who share the same ideal and good partners who make progress together.

Unity, collaboration, development and revitalization are the dreams the Latin American people from generation to generation. The “Chinese Dream” and the “Latin American Dream” are closely linked. Both sides should take the courage to pursue the dream and jointly make the dream come true.

(July 16^th 2014, President Xi Jinping’s speech at the Brazilian National Congress)

5. A Five-in-One new pattern of China-Latin America relations

This afternoon belongs to China and Latin American and Caribbean relations. Chinese and Latin American leaders gathering together is a historical event of global influence.

At present, the relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean are best ever in history and standing at a new starting point.

Here, I wish to propose that we jointly announce at this meeting the establishment of the China-Latin America comprehensive cooperative partnership of equality, mutual benefit and common development, and work together to build a Five-in-One new pattern of China-Latin America relations: sincerely trust each other in politics, cooperate with each other for a win-win outcome in economy and trade, learn from each other in people-to-people and cultural exchanges, closely cooperate with each other in international affairs, and promote each other in overall cooperation and bilateral relations.

(July 17^th 2014, President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech at China-Latin America and Caribbean Summit)

6. The establishment of the China-CELAC Forum send out a strong signal

The second CELAC summit held last January adopted the Special Declaration on the Establishment of the China-CELAC Forum, which has laid down an important groundwork for the establishment of the forum and advancement of our overall cooperation. Through this Summit, we will jointly announce the official establishment of the China-CELAC Forum and will hold the first ministerial conference of the Forum in Beijing at an early date. This will have profound implication for our future relationship and send out a strong signal of our commitment to strengthening unity and coordination and promoting South-South cooperation.

(July 17^th 2014, President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech at China-Latin America and Caribbean Summit)

7. Common dreams and shared pursuit

Currently, the Chinese people are striving to achieve the “Chinese Dream” of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, while the peoples of Latin American and Caribbean countries are also struggling for the “Latin American Dream” of realizing solidarity, cooperation, development and revitalization. The common dreams and shared pursuit closely connect China and Latin America. Let’s seize the opportunity, forge ahead, and try hard to build a hand-in-hand community of common destiny, so as to create a splendid future for China-Latin America relations!

(July 17^th 2014, President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech at China-Latin America and Caribbean Summit)

8. A creation in the history of China-CELAC relations

Half a year ago, I had a milestone meeting with the leaders of the Latin American and Caribbean countries in Brasilia. The two sides decided to establish the China-CELAC comprehensive cooperative partnership featuring equality, mutual benefit and common development and officially establish the China-CELAC Forum, which conforms to the trends of the times of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results, and should be called a creation in the history of China-CELAC relations.

The China-CELAC Forum is a newborn, just like a young shoot sprouting out of the earth, whose sturdy growth into a towering tree needs meticulous cultivation of both sides.

(January 8^th 2015, President Xi Jinping’s speech at the First Ministerial Meeting of China-CELAC Forum)

9. The overall cooperation between China and Latin America has set sail smoothly

At present, the relations between China and Latin American and the Caribbean countries are standing at a new historical point. With the establishment of China-CELAC Forum, the overall cooperation between China and Latin America has set sail smoothly. The two sides have opened a wide perspective for all-dimensional cooperation via working hand-in-hand in promoting the comprehensive cooperation partnership featuring equality, mutual benefit and common development, and jointly building China-Latin America community of shared destiny.

(October 2016, President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to the 10th China-LAC Business Summit)

10. A new stage of parallel development between bilateral cooperation and overall cooperation

At present, the relationship between China and Latin America has entered into a new stage of parallel development between bilateral cooperation and overall cooperation. China is willing to work together with Uruguay and other Latin American countries to jointly build a new framework of the “1+3+6 cooperation”, so as to push China-Latin America relations for greater development and forge a community of shared destiny featuring joint progress together.

(October 18^th 2016, President Xi Jinping held talks with President Tabare Vazquez of Uruguay)