The Third Seminar on "China and LAC: Dialogue between Civilizations"

Autor：Liu Fanping　　Fecha：2019-09-23

On September 21, the 3rd Seminar on “China and LAC: Dialogue between Civilizations” jointly hosted by Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, Institute of Latin America Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Blossom Press of China International Publishing Group, was held in Xuzhou City. Centering on the theme of “China and LAC: 70 Years of Mutual Understanding and Experience Sharing”, the attendees engaged in academic discussions and dialogues, which will be of great significance for enhancing the practical cooperation between China and LAC, promoting their mutual learning and building a community of shared future. Over 100 guests attended the event, including the Governor of Coahuila of Mexico, Ambassador of Colombia to China, Consuls-General of Venezuela, Uruguay, Cuba and Panama in Shanghai, and government officials, diplomats, business-people, scholars, journalists and media representatives from China and LAC countries.

This session focused on 70 years of people-to-people exchanges and the sharing of development experience between China and LAC countries. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China 70 years ago, China and LAC have created mutual trust, learned from each other in exploration, construction, reform and development, and gradually formed a community with a shared future and win-win cooperation.

Wang Rongping, Vice Chair of Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the CPPCC attended the meeting and extended a warm welcome to international friends. In his speech, Wang Rongping said: based on the dialogue of civilizations, Jiangsu province looks forward to strengthening capacity cooperation with LAC countries under the framework of the "Belt and Road Initiative," hopes to raise the level of economic and trade cooperation between two sides, and improve people-to-people exchanges and connections.

Mr. Zhao Bentang, director-general of Latin American and Caribbean Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed that the success of this symposium may produce important function in deepening Sino-LAC friendships and improve our cooperative system. He wished that through the 70 anniversary of our friendship, we could witness more cooperative results.

In the keynote speech, Prof. Wang Rongjun, deputy director of the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, shared the latest survey report "Survey on the Development of Chinese Latin American Research Institutions (1949-2019)", completed by the Chinese Association of Latin American Studies. The report showed that there were only 4 Latin American research institutions established before 2000, but 44 institutions were established in and after 2011with a rapid growth rate.

Mr. Luis Diego Monsalve Hoyos, ambassador of Columbia, made a keynote speech, illustrating different contents from the perspectives of bilateral relationships, cultural publication & broadcasting and the mutual study between early civilization between China and LAC countries.

Scholars from over 11 countries, including China, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and etc, have conducted warm discussion over industrial park construction & developmental experience sharing, urban development and administration promotion, LAC study in China and Chinese Study in LAC and the cognitive changes of China & LAC images. At the same time, free speeches and Q & A were arranged.

As one of the spotlight of the seminar, Institute for China-LAC People-to-people Exchange was founded at the meeting. It is a new type of professional think tank which integrates political consultation, research, exchange and spreading and focuses on “Sino-LAC humanistic communication study” with combination of theory and practice. Co-sponsored by Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, ILAS CASS, the Center for International People-to-people Exchange, and JSNU, aimed at implementing the mechanism of social participation in “Suggestions for enhancing and improving people-to-people exchange,” and enriching the mode of Sino-LAC communication. Among the warm applause from the audience, Professor Hua and leaders from other related units went on the stage and inaugurated the brand.

In addition, the new book “Historia oral: voces y testigos del intercambio cultural entre China y América Latina,” which recorded stories of Sino-LAC communication in the past 70 years was published at the opening ceremony. It had been organized, planned and edited for almost 3 years by CECLA and was a think tank achievement of Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies. It was reported that the Spanish version was going to be published at the Think Tank Dialogue between China and LAC at San Diego, Chile in November 2019.

On the morning of September 22, the seminar concluded with a summary of Liu Jiangdong, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People's Government. The theme of the fourth Dialogue between Civilizations (China and LAC) in 2020 is announced. He said “2020 represents a milestone in the history of China's development. China's century-old development has continuously absorbed lessons and experience from all countries in the world, which have also contributed new ideas to countries seeking unique ways suitable for their own development. Shouldering a major mission in the forefront of development, Jiangsu province has always played an important role in the overall map of China. In the future, Jiangsu will continue to construct the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ intersection, promote omni-directional, high level opening to the international community, and form the global competitiveness and influence of Jiangsu's development.” In the end, Vice Secretary of the CPC JSNU Committee, Professor Cen Hong hosted the closing ceremony.