Promoting Mutual Development and Prosperity

Authored by H.E. Zhang Yanling, Chinese Ambassador to Antigua and Barbuda

During The Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum held on May 13 in Beijing, President Xi Jinping expressed in his address at the opening ceremony that China stands ready to join hands with its Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) partners to write a new chapter in building a China-LAC community with a shared future.

China, together with the heads of delegations from LAC countries, including Antigua and Barbuda’s Foreign Minister Hon. E.P. Chet Greene, discussed new programs to advance shared development and prosperity. The meeting adopted the Beijing Declaration and the Joint Action Plan (2025-2027), agreed on over 100 cooperation projects for the next three years. In addition, China announced 20 measures to support the LAC region’s development.

 The blueprint has been drawn. China is committed to work together with Antigua and Barbuda and other LAC countries to make the important consensus reached at the meeting be implemented.

The first is to strengthen unity and build a closer China-LAC community with a shared future. As President Xi said, China-LAC cooperation is founded upon equality, powered by mutual benefit and win-win, invigorated by openness and inclusiveness, and dedicated to the people’s well-being.

No matter how the world changes, China will always stand by LAC countries as a good friend and a good partner. We will support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns, firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law and make a fair and just voice in international and regional affairs.

The second is to foster greater synergy between our development strategies and promote high-quality development of China-LAC cooperation. Development and revitalization are the inherent rights of the people of China and LAC countries.

China will continue to unwavering promote high-level opening up and share the opportunities of Chinese modernization with other partners. China will work with LAC countries to implement the Global Development Initiative, resolutely uphold the multilateral trading system, ensure stable, unimpeded global industrial and supply chains, and promote an international environment of openness and cooperation.

We should expand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, bolster cooperation in traditional areas such as infrastructure, agriculture and food, accelerate cooperation in emerging areas such as clean energy, the digital economy and artificial intelligence.

The third is to enhance civilizational exchanges and deepen cooperation in the field of culture and art. China will work with LAC countries to implement the Global Civilization Initiative., uphold the vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness between civilizations, and champion humanity’s common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom.

We should strengthen exchanges in cultural heritage fields such as joint archaeological projects, conservation and restoration of ancient and historic sites, and museum exhibitions, and have more art troupes for mutual visits.

The fourth is to advocate peace and contribute to security and stability. Peace is the precondition for development and prosperity. China will work with LAC countries to implement the Global Security Initiative. China supports the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace and the Declaration of Member States of the Agency for the Prohibition of nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean.

We two sides should cooperate more closely in disaster governance, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, anti-corruption, narcotics control and combating transnational organized crime so as to safeguard security and stability.

    The fifth is to enrich People-to-People Connectivity. In the next three years, China will provide CELAC member states with 3,500 government scholarships, 10,000 training opportunities in China, 500 International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarships, 300 training opportunities for poverty reduction professionals, and 1,000 funded placements through the Chinese Bridge program. We should work more closely to unlock more potential and inject new impetus into China-LAC friendly exchanges.

China and Antigua and Barbuda and other LAC countries are all members of the Global South. Independence and autonomy are our glorious tradition.

Fairness and justice are our common pursuit. China looks forward to making a concerted effort with all partners to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, jointly address the new turbulence and transformation and bring more certainty to this uncertain world.