The 14th China-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Business Summit kicked off in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality on November 16, 2021. The summit, with the theme of “Openness and Innovation for Common Progress”, was co-hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government and People’s Bank of China. Gao Yunlong, chairman of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.
 
Gao Yunlong said that China and LAC countries enjoyed a time-honored friendship and fruitful practical cooperation in various fields. China is ready to strengthen cooperation with LAC countries in the fight against COVID-19, facilitate the flow of goods in key areas, maintain stability of industrial and supply chains, promote economic recovery. China will strengthen policy communication and deepen cultural exchanges with LAC countries, jointly participate in Global Development Initiative, support each other on core interests and major concerns, and enhance mutual understanding. China and the LAC will strengthen practical cooperation, jointly build a high-quality Belt and Road Initiative, make full use of platforms such as China International Import Expo and China-LAC Business Summit to further enrich mutually-beneficial cooperation, upgrade cooperation, and tap economic and trade potential. China and LAC countries will also vigorously engage in cooperation on innovation, advance scientific and technological exchanges, jointly strengthen digital infrastructure construction, promote the dissemination and application of new technologies, and boost growth drivers.
 
China has achieved its first centenary goal of eradicating absolute poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and is now moving toward achieving the second goal of a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by 2050, according to Gao. China will carry out its policy of opening to the outside world unswervingly, promote the new “dual circulation” development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other, and promote world recovery through its sustainable development. The China-LAC cooperation enjoys broad prospects. It is hoped that the two sides will work together to build a community with a shared future for common progress and write a new chapter in China-LAC relations featuring equality, mutual benefit, innovation, and openness in the new era, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples.
 
Gao also met with LAC Ambassadors to China and visited the China-LAC Cooperation Exhibition.