Respected Francisco Urdinez, Executive director of the Millenium Nucleus on the Impacts of China in Latin America and Caribbean, or ICLAC
Respected Chai Yu, Director of the Institute of Latin America Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, or CASSILAS
Respected Andrés Villar, Director of Strategy Planning of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile,
Respected Diego Araya, Chief Advisor of Vice Minister of SUBREI,
Respected guests
Friends and students
Good morning!
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. This is why we gather here today to convene the Seminar on BRI and China Chile Relations. First, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy and in my own name, I extend the warmest welcome to all participants, scholars from the Latin America Institute of CASS in particular, who have travelled thousands of kilometers for this purpose. I give the heartiest thanks to ICLAC which has made great efforts to co-host this seminar.
Ten years ago, President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative and enriched the historical silk road with new significance of our times. Over the past 10 years, Belt and Road cooperation has progressed from “sketching the outline” to “filling in the details”. With concerted efforts of all partners, Belt and Road has mobilized almost one trillion dollar investment, set up 3000-plus cooperation projects, created 420,000 jobs and lifted 40 million people out of poverty, thus becoming a popular international cooperation platform and global public goods. Belt and Road has become a “belt of development” of the world and a “road of happiness” for people of partner countries.
The 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was successfully held last month in Beijing. The forum was attended by leaders and representatives of 151 countries and 41 international organizations. More than 10,000 people registered for the forum related events. The forum witnessed the signing of 89 documents on multilateral cooperation deliverables, 369 practical cooperation projects and 97.2 billion dollar commercial contracts.
President Xi Jinping announced 8 major steps China will take to support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation: building a multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network, supporting an open world economy, carrying out practical cooperation, promoting green development, advancing scientific and technological innovation, supporting people-to-people exchanges, promoting integrity-based Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthening institutional building for international Belt and Road cooperation. The China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will each set up a 350 billion yuan financing window. The above fruits and major steps are testimony to China’s pursuit of win-win cooperation and high-level opening. As pointed out by President Xi, Belt and Road cooperation was proposed by China, but its benefits and opportunities are for the world to share.
2023 marks the fifth year of China-Chile and China-LAC Belt and Road cooperation. In his letter to the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum held in Santiago in early 2018, President Xi proposed a new blueprint of Belt and Road cooperation, build a cross-Pacific road of cooperation and usher in a brand new China-CELAC relationship. The meeting issued the Special Statement on the Belt and Road, marking the Belt and Road being extended to Latin America. Chile took the lead in joining Belt and Road by signing an MoU with China on Belt and Road cooperation, thus opening up broad prospects for China-Chile relations.
Five years of China Chile Belt and Road cooperation has born many fruits. Our free trade agreement is China’s highest level bilateral trade regime with other countries, making it possible for China’s export of automobiles and electric buses to Chile and Chile’s established reputation high-quality cherries and wines in China. With support from the Silk Road Fund, Chinese companies have invested in lithium, power and aquaculture projects in Chile while at the same time contributed to Chile’s fastest trains and best 5G in the region, and played an import role in improving Chile’s energy distribution and upgrading infrastructure.
Of special significance is President Boric’s attending the 3rd Belt and Road for International Cooperation and his state visit to China. Chile is the only Latin American countries represented by its head of state at the Belt and Road Forum three times in a row and is privileged with its key geographic location and good business environment to play a leading role in China-CELAC cooperation in Belt and Road. The Belt and Road Cooperation Plan signed during President Boric’s visit offers one more impetus for more “firsts” in our bilateral relations and continue to serve as a role model for China’s relations with other countries in the region.
Ladies and gentlemen, students,
China-Chile Belt and Road cooperation is not possible without strong support and active participation from people of all walks of life. Think tanks distribute ideas, interpret policies and initiatives, and build people-to-people ties. Being the first country-specific research project under the framework of the Millenium Project, ICLAC shoulders the mission of deepening Latin Amercia knowledge and understanding of China and China-CELAC relationship. CASSILAS, being an esteemed Chinese think tank focusing on Latin America studies and China-CELAC relationship, has been very fruitful in contributing research papers and intellectual support. I sincerely hope and firmly believe that today’s seminar will produce insightful ideas and suggestions for Belt and Road cooperation for the next 10 years.
I wish this seminar a total success!
Thank you!