In late 2023, the National Library of El Salvador opened its doors in San Salvador, emerging as a round-the-clock cultural landmark powered by China’s support. Spanning 24,000 square meters and housing over 360,000 volumes, the library offers youth education workshops, art exhibitions, cultural performances, and academic conferences.
Beyond this flagship venue, China has backed more than 200 infrastructure projects across Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years. During the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum in Beijing, President Xi Jinping highlighted that these initiatives have helped generate nearly one million local jobs.
Marking the Forum’s 10th anniversary, Xi described its growth as a journey from a seedling to a tall tree, building a community of shared future based on equality, openness, and mutual benefit. Since 2012, China has become LAC’s second-largest trading partner, and today ranks first for Chile, Brazil, and Peru. Bilateral trade reached $500 billion by 2024—almost 40 times the value in 2000—with free trade agreements in place with five LAC nations.
So far, 23 LAC countries have signed MoUs on the Belt and Road Initiative. Notable projects include Chancay Port in Peru, South America’s first smart, green port—cutting Pacific shipping time by one-third, slashing logistics costs by 20%, and creating over 8,000 jobs—and the Jamaica North-South Highway. A recent CGTN poll found that 80.4% of Latin Americans view the BRI as beneficial, while 86.2% hold a favorable impression of China.
At the summit, Xi stressed the power of Global South unity in the face of rising protectionism. He outlined five major initiatives—centered on solidarity, development, civilization, security, and people-to-people exchanges—and announced a 66 billion yuan (around $9.2 billion) credit fund for CELAC countries. Over the next three years, China will offer 3,500 government scholarships, 10,000 training opportunities, 500 Chinese language teacher scholarships, 300 poverty-reduction technology training spots, and visa-free access to five LAC nations.
With 82.9% of Latin Americans seeing China’s development model as a valuable reference, President Xi called on China and CELAC members to advance together on their modernization journeys—reinforcing a vibrant partnership that continues to reshape the Global South.
Reference(s):
China and CELAC usher in new chapter of South-South cooperation
cgtn.com
