At the China-CELAC Forum 2025 in Beijing, strategic cooperation brings infrastructure, scholarships and economic partnerships to the forefront
A forum to reinforce the Global South
On Tuesday, May 14, 2025, Beijing hosted the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, a symbolic and strategic milestone in the relationship between China and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Ten years after its launch, the Forum has become a powerful engine for shared modernization, with real-world projects spanning education, logistics, and social development.
Standing as a flagship example is the new National Library of El Salvador, built with Chinese funding and open 24/7. Housing 360,000 volumes across 24,000 square meters, it is one of over 200 infrastructure projects completed by China in the region.
China’s strategy: real progress for local communities
Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that these projects have created nearly one million local jobs. The development model is based on equality, inclusiveness and mutual benefit, and the forum saw the launch of five key initiatives focused on: solidarity, development, civilization, security and people-to-people exchanges.
China, said Xi, is committed to working with CELAC nations to counter unilateralism and protectionism, and to build a united front for the Global South.
Belt and Road Initiative, smart ports and new partnerships
With 23 LAC countries already part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), economic ties are stronger than ever. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $500 billion, 40 times more than in 2000.
The newly inaugurated Port of Chancay in Peru is a landmark example: shipping times reduced by 30%, logistics costs down 20%, and over 8,000 new jobs expected. Other signature projects include the Jamaica North-South Highway and numerous medical cooperation missions throughout the Caribbean.
Scholarships, training, visa exemptions: diplomacy of opportunity
China also announced a ¥66 billion credit fund (around $9.2 billion) to support development in CELAC nations, alongside a three-year plan including:
- 3,500 government scholarships
- 10,000 training opportunities
- 500 Chinese language teacher fellowships
- 300 training posts on poverty-reduction technologies
In addition, five LAC countries will benefit from visa exemptions, with a view to extend this policy across the region.
A model worth following?
The Chinese development path appears increasingly appealing: 82.9% of LAC respondents in a CGTN survey see it as a valid model for their own countries. With 86.2% expressing a positive view of China, ties between Beijing and Latin America are now built on solidarity, pragmatism and shared growth.
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