INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Chinese President Xi Jinping said China is willing to strengthen solidarity with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, and announced
five major projects to jointly pursue development and revitalization with LAC countries on Tuesday.Xi made the remarks while delivering a
keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean
States) Forum in Beijing.Trade between China and LAC countries exceeded $500 billion for the first time in 2024 – more than 40 times the
volume at the beginning of this century, Xi said.Noting that changes unseen in a century are accelerating and multiple risks are
intertwined, Xi said only by working together can countries maintain world peace and stability and promote global development and
prosperity.There are no winners in tariff wars and trade wars, and bullying and hegemony will only result in self-isolation, said the
Chinese president.Xi also announced that China will launch five major projects – focused respectively on solidarity, development,
civilization, peace and people-to-people exchanges – with LAC countries to jointly promote development and revitalization.China is willing
to strengthen solidarity with LAC countries and continue to support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns,
Xi said.Over the next three years, China will invite 300 leading officials from political parties of CELAC member states to visit China
annually for exchanges on governance experience, Xi said.China is also ready to work with LAC countries to implement the Global Development
Initiative, firmly safeguard the multilateral trading system, maintain the stability and smooth operation of global industrial and supply
chains, and promote an open and cooperative international environment, he added.China stands ready to work with LAC countries to implement
the Global Civilization Initiative and uphold the values of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, Xi
said, adding that China is willing to work with the countries to promote the common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy
and freedom.He said China is also willing to cooperate with LAC countries to implement the Global Security Initiative, strengthen
collaboration in disaster management, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, anti-corruption, drug control and combating transnational organized
crime, and work together to maintain regional security and stability.Xi announced that China has decided to offer visa-free entry to
citizens of five Latin American and Caribbean countries, and will expand the policy to more countries in the region in due course.(With
