The upcoming Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum will show the two sides' resolution in pursuing peace, development, and cooperation, and chart the course for cooperation for the next three years, according to China's Assistant Foreign Minister Miao Deyu.
The ministerial meeting will be held on May 13 in Beijing, with foreign ministers or representatives from Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) member countries and regional international organizations in attendance.
Briefing the media on Sunday about the upcoming meeting, Miao said the theme of the gathering would be to jointly plan for development and revitalization, and build a China-LAC community with a shared future.
Two sides will adopt a Beijing Declaration and a joint action plan, according to the assistant foreign minister.
"The Beijing Declaration will express the two sides' shared determination to pursue peace, seek development, and promote cooperation. The joint action plan outlines specific initiatives in areas such as technological innovation, trade and investment, finance, infrastructure, agriculture and food security, industrial modernization, energy and mineral resources, and the Belt and Road Initiative. It will serve as a roadmap for China-LAC cooperation over the next three years," Miao told the press.
Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China-CELAC Forum, Miao said holding the meeting is an important step taken by both sides to build on past achievements and jointly shape the future. He underlined that the meeting will send a clear message to the world that China and Latin America stand united in solidarity and collaboration to address global challenges together.
"China believes that Latin American and Caribbean countries are an important part of the global trend toward multipolarity and economic globalization. The people of Latin America and the Caribbean are building their own homeland - not anyone else's backyard. What they seek is independence and autonomy, not a so-called 'new Monroe Doctrine.' Let me emphasize that China-CELAC cooperation is a form of South-South cooperation. It is based on mutual support, not geopolitical calculation; on win-win outcomes, not winner-takes-all dynamics; on openness and inclusiveness, not exclusivity or confrontation. In its engagement with Latin American and Caribbean countries, China has never sought spheres of influence, nor has it ever targeted any third party," Miao said.
"I would also like to emphasize that the Taiwan question concerns China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and is at the very core of China's core interests. The one-China principle is a widely recognized consensus in the international community and a key component of the post-World War II international order. It serves as the political foundation for China's relations with other countries. China is willing to open a new chapter in its relations with more LAC countries on the basis of the one-China principle," he added.
China-CELAC ministerial meeting to deliver roadmap for cooperation
