The Chinese government has formally released its latest Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, marking the third comprehensive strategic document outlining Beijing’s vision for enhanced cooperation with the region. Released on December 10, this policy framework builds upon previous achievements while charting an ambitious course for future collaboration between China and LAC nations.
As fellow members of the Global South, China and LAC countries have cultivated increasingly robust ties despite geographical separation. The relationship has gained significant momentum since the formal establishment of the China-CELAC Forum in 2015, which provided an institutional foundation for structured cooperation. The relationship reached new heights during the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum held in Beijing this past May, where President Xi Jinping introduced five pivotal programs: Solidarity, Development, Civilization, Peace, and People-to-People Connectivity.
The policy emphasizes mutual respect and equality as cornerstone principles. Both parties maintain independent foreign policies while demonstrating steadfast support for each other’s core interests and major concerns. This includes firm opposition to power politics and interference in internal affairs, with the vast majority of LAC countries adhering to the one-China principle. China has committed to advancing the Global Governance Initiative through enhanced dialogue among governments, political parties, and legislative bodies.
Economic cooperation has yielded remarkable results, with bilateral trade reaching an unprecedented $518.4 billion in 2024 and Chinese foreign direct investment stock exceeding $600 billion. The Belt and Road Initiative has gained substantial traction, with over twenty regional nations including Trinidad and Tobago participating. Infrastructure development has flourished, with Chinese enterprises securing contracts worth more than $300 billion, including landmark projects such as Trinidad’s Phoenix Park Industrial Estate and Peru’s Chancay Port.
The policy identifies numerous areas for expanded collaboration, including infrastructure, trade, finance, agriculture, food security, clean energy, artificial intelligence, and climate change mitigation. China also plans to strengthen ties with regional organizations including CELAC, Caricom, and ACS while enhancing cooperation in law enforcement, anti-corruption, cybersecurity, and transnational crime prevention.
Cultural and people-to-people exchanges represent another vital dimension of the relationship. Confucius Institutes and classrooms have proliferated throughout the region, while cultural appreciation continues to grow bilaterally. China has provided 17,000 government scholarships and approximately 13,000 training opportunities for LAC nationals, with commitments to expand these programs significantly.
The comprehensive policy framework demonstrates China’s commitment to building what it characterizes as “a shared future” with LAC nations, emphasizing mutual development, prosperity, and enhanced South-South cooperation. China positions this policy as a new beginning for practical cooperation aligned with development strategies such as Trinidad and Tobago’s Revitalization Blueprint, aiming to establish new benchmarks for international development partnership.