2018年CRI 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.

Bilateral¹ cooperation has also been extended to areas including innovation, infrastructure² 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 Forum³, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China wants to create stronger ties with Latin American and Caribbean countries in helping⁴ expand the Belt and Road initiative.

Chile's Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz has lauded⁵ 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-how⁶.

"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 mutual⁷ development in mind.

"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 livelihood⁸ 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 bolstered⁹ by the establishment of 50 Confucius Institutes in Latin American and Caribbean countries, with over 50,000 students currently learning Mandarin¹⁰ 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 remarkable¹¹ 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.

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.

1 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 lauded   

v.称赞，赞美( laud的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They lauded the former president as a hero. 他们颂扬前总统为英雄。 来自辞典例句
• The nervy feats of the mountaineers were lauded. 登山者有勇气的壮举受到赞美。 来自辞典例句

6 know-how   

n.知识；技术；诀窍

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
• I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。

7 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

8 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

9 bolstered   

v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• He bolstered his plea with new evidence. 他举出新的证据来支持他的抗辩。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The data must be bolstered by inferences and indirect estimates of varying degrees of reliability. 这些资料必须借助于推理及可靠程度不同的间接估计。 来自辞典例句

10 Mandarin   

n.中国官话，国语，满清官吏；adj.华丽辞藻的

参考例句：

• Just over one billion people speak Mandarin as their native tongue.大约有十亿以上的人口以华语为母语。
• Mandarin will be the new official language of the European Union.普通话会变成欧盟新的官方语言。

11 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。