BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- China is now Latin America's second largest trading partner and the region's third largest source of investment. Michael Voss reports from Havana as CELAC seeks cooperation with China in multiple fields.
The 33 nation Community of Latin American and Caribbean States was created just over three years ago. It includes Cuba but not the United States or Canada.
Last year's four-nation Latin American tour by China's president Xi Jinping showed the strategic importance China now places on the region.
This week's forum in Beijing will focus on boosting cooperation across a range of issues.
"China is a market, it is a huge market for Latin American products and it's a source of investment for Latin America. On the other hand China is fast developing technology, so there are a number of issues in which Latin America and the Caribbean will benefit from a closer relationship with China," Foreign affairs analyst Carlos Alzugaray said.
"China is obviously saying OK I recognize CELAC as the valid interlocutor or the organization that carries the weight of Latin America and the Caribbean at a point when Latin America and the Caribbean are behaving more and more autonomously in international relations,"Carlos said.
The European Union is also taking a greater interest in the region and later this year will host its second EU-CELAC summit.
"The European Union is interested in working with CELAC in very specific areas, investment, climate change, drugs and regional security to name the most important," EU Ambassador to Cuba Herman Portocarero said.
"Because it's an umbrella under which the region comes together, not just the region of the continent but including the Caribbean islands and it's one of the major added values of CELAC that it has become a bridge between the Caribbean and the continent, thanks to Cuba in large part I have to say," EU Ambassador to Cuba Herman Portocarero said.
Some concern that cheap Chinese export are starting to hurt domestic manufacturers. And the economic slow down in China is also impacting across the region.
(Source: CNTV.com)
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