Interview: China-CELAC Forum helps strengthen ties with China, says Argentine academic

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (China-CELAC Forum) has helped enhance bilateral ties between Latin American and Caribbean countries and China, Argentine historian Maya Alvisa told Xinhua in an interview on Thursday.

The forum has been essential for China to be able to find a direct interlocutor in Latin America, said said Alvisa, who is the professor with the University of Salvador and University of Buenos Aires.

"They are not just about economic ties. We have economic, financial, cultural and technological aspects, as well as caring for the environment," she added.

The concept of a community with a shared future, which is proposed by China, underscores the importance of bilateral cooperation, especially at the time of the global pandemic.

"We have just one house and only by working together, can we move forward in economic growth and deal with these challenges that we now have, such as the climate change," Alvisa said.

The China-CELAC Forum also help the region learn about the principles of China's foreign relations, such as the idea of "win-win" cooperation, mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, and cooperation for regional growth, she added.

In the first three quarters of 2021, trade between China and Latin America and the Caribbean region amounted to 331.88 billion U.S. dollars, a remarkable increase of 45.5 percent year on year, according to the latest data.

In the past years and in the context of the pandemic, the trade cooperation with China has been intensified, thanks to China's decision to exchange experience in the scientific field, and to donate and deliver medical supplies.

"The arrival of the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines has been essential," said Alvisa.

Alvisa also said the region and Argentina need to diversify their trade and commercial ties, and go deeper in more aspects, such as the collaboration of science and technology, said Alvisa.

"I believe that Latin America has a lot to offer China," she concluded.