Latest news with #China-LatinAmerica
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Roundup: News photography exhibition featuring China-Mexico exchanges kicks off in Mexico City
MEXICO CITY, July 20 (Xinhua) -- A news photo exhibition, co-organized by Xinhua News Agency and the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, kicked off here on Friday. The event, held in the Mexican Chamber of Deputies and attended by more than 100 guests from various sectors in Mexico, highlighted key moments in China-Mexico and China-Latin America exchanges, providing a panoramic view of the development of China-Latin America relations and the historical milestones in the process of Chinese modernization. In his speech, President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico over half a century ago, especially since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2013, political mutual trust between the two countries has deepened, and friendly exchanges in various fields have been strengthened. The tree of friendship between China and Mexico has flourished, bearing rich fruit and bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries, he said. As the two countries move forward together, Xinhua News Agency and its Mexican branches have faithfully recorded touching stories of friendly exchanges and win-win cooperation between China and Mexico with pens and lenses, presenting to the world the profound friendship of the people of the two countries who understand each other and stand together through thick and thin, he added. Dolores Padierna, vice president of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, said this exhibition, through the lenses of Xinhua journalists, showcases the rapid development of China's society and economy and the vitality of Chinese culture on the global stage. The images not only document the practice of the one-China principle, but also present the genuine interaction of mutual appreciation between the two major civilizations of Mexico and China, said Padierna. As an important witness and participant in the bilateral exchanges, Xinhua has played an active role in promoting cooperation and people-to-people bonds between the two countries, she added. Chen Daojiang, Chinese Ambassador to Mexico, said that the vastness of the Pacific Ocean has never hindered the communication between the people of China and Mexico. These photos are the witnesses of political mutual trust, the footnote of economic complementarity, the outcome of cultural integration, and above all, the most direct and touching expressions of people-to-people friendship, the ambassador noted. They are like mirrors, reflecting the historical development of the bilateral relations, Chen added. Lidia de la Vega, president of the Culture and Film Commission of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, said Mexico and China have enjoyed longstanding friendship and adhered to mutual respect and open dialogue. The exhibition has built a "visual bridge" for the two countries, which will help deepen the understanding, cooperation and friendship between the two sides, she said. Raymundo Vazquez, president of the Mexico-China Friendship Group of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, believes that the photographs record touching moments and life experiences in human history, which show vivid stories of the friendly exchanges between Mexico and China, and reflect the shared feelings and friendship of the human society.
The Star
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
China expands visa-free access to five Latin American countries.
China on June 1 began implementing a trial policy that unilaterally grants visa-free entry to citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. It is the first time that China has extended such access to nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Under the policy, which will remain in effect through May 31, 2026, holders of ordinary passports from these five countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for purposes including business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange and transit. The move is part of China's broader efforts to expand visa-free access in line with its commitment to high-level opening up. With this expansion, China now offers unilateral visa-free entry to 43 countries. Once made difficult by distance and complex visa procedures, travel between Latin America and China is increasingly accessible thanks to improved air connectivity and relaxed entry policies. In 2024, a direct flight was launched between Mexico City and south China's Shenzhen, spanning a distance of over 14,000km to become China's longest direct international passenger route. Other routes, such as the Beijing-Sao Paulo, Brazil (via Madrid, Spain), Beijing-Havana, Cuba (via Madrid) and Beijing-Tijuana-Mexico City routes, have also strengthened links between China and Latin America and the Caribbean. Carolina Araya, a Chilean citizen and Spanish language instructor at Anhui International Studies University in east China, was quick to share the news on social media after learning of the new policy, garnering many likes from friends and family. 'With this visa-free policy, it will be so much easier for my parents to visit us,' she said. 'I'm looking forward to welcoming them here in China.' Carola Ramon with the Argentine Council of Foreign Relations noted that recent years have seen growing cooperation between Argentina and China in areas such as student exchange, cultural collaboration and sports. She believes China's visa-free entry initiative will enhance people-to-people ties and broaden exchange – not only between China and Argentina but across the broader China-Latin America region. Economic ties between China and Latin America have also deepened significantly. Bilateral trade has doubled over the past decade, surpassing US$500bil (RM2.13 trillion) in 2024. Chinese exports, including electric vehicles, are increasingly popular in the region, while Latin American goods such as Chilean cherries and Argentine beef have become Chinese household staples. China has been steadily adjusting and optimising its visa policies to boost cross-border mobility. Since late 2023, the country has rolled out a series of traveller-friendly measures. In late May, it announced that citizens of four Gulf countries – Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain – will also enjoy visa-free entry for up to 30 days, from June 9, 2025, through June 8, 2026. Additionally, China's visa-free transit period has been extended to 240 hours for travellers from 54 countries. These policies have already had a notable impact. In 2024, China recorded 3.39 million entries under its unilateral visa-free policy, representing a 1,200% increase from the previous year. During this year's May Day holiday alone, 380,000 people entered China visa-free, a 72.7% year-on-year jump. Yu Haibo, an associate professor of tourism management at Nankai University in Tianjin, said that China's continued expansion of its visa-free policies reflects its commitment to high-standard opening-up. 'These measures demonstrate China's resolve to foster a more dynamic, inclusive and resilient form of economic globalisation,' he said. – Xinhua
Express Tribune
31-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Latin America: Beijing's narrative is dominating Washington's
The author writes on geopolitical issues and regional conflicts. He can be reached at Listen to article China's engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has been seen as a threat to the US strategic position globally with recommendations of employing military, technological and economic might to force its neighbours into severing ties with Beijing. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio himself recently travelled to several regional states to counter China's influence and prevent them from building critical infrastructure in cohorts with Beijing. But with China and LAC leaders at a forum in Beijing agreeing to bolster ties and support a "fair, transparent and rules-based multilateral trade system", in a densely veiled swipe at America, the gathering sent a strong message about its reluctance to rupture relations with China. In defiance of US President Donald Trump's trade war and crackdown on migration, the bloc has been promoting reconciliation to deliver a collective response. In last month's CELAC summit, regional leaders sought alliance to "reinvent itself" to face up to Washington's renewed "imperialist domination" efforts, protect against unilateral actions and develop initiatives in trade, science and technology. For a region that has been immersed in a low growth trap and where connectivity is crucial for a resilient economic future, the forum provided an opportunity to LAC to showcase its concerns on America's protectionist policies and pursue its ambition of projecting itself a dynamic geopolitical and economic player. In recent years, the China-Latin America relationship has strengthened, as two-thirds of regional countries have joined BRI and Beijing has emerged as biggest trading partners of Brazil, Chile and Peru. Trump's threats of taking over Panama Canal by force delivered him an ephemeral success once Panama withdrew from China's foreign policy drive. And Colombia's joining of blueprint tainted the US president's neo-Monroe Doctrine of considering the Western Hemisphere as America's exclusive sphere of influence. Testifying before Senate Armed Services Committee, Commander US Southern Command Admiral Alvin Holsey said China was "using the BRI to set the theater and expand its access to rare earth metals and control of ports for a potential dual civilian-military purpose". While much of interpretation is overblown with US coercive policies such as tariffs and aid cuts facilitating Beijing to outmaneuver Washington in a strategic competition, America's own approach is driven by a craving to seize Latin America's rare earth metals and for US national defense and commercial applications. The strategic chicanery surrounding the US practice approach is pushing regional countries toward China. As Trump's stopgap policy challenges America's geopolitical and economic dominance, the forum is turning into a launchpad for introducing initiatives and formulating action plans to build a "community with a shared future" as highlighted by Chinese President Xi Jinping's commitment to provide a 66 billion yuan credit line to support the region's development, extend visa-free arrangement to five countries, import more products and channel further investments. Since the turn of the century, China-LAC relationship has grown at a fast clip, bringing promising economic opportunities to the region. Nearly 200 BRI megaprojects worth $100 billion were implemented over the last decade; bilateral trade in 2024 leapt 6% to $518 billion. By 2023, China's investments had also exceeded $600 billion. One recent example of the China-LAC cooperation is development of Chancay Port in Peru. The project - set to become a new logistical order and strategic transshipment hub and accelerate trade across the Pacific for Peruvian Blueberries, Brazilian soy and Chilean copper — would rewire hemispherical trade, intensifying the China-US rivalry. Yet the Peruvian government is seemingly willing to take risk even though it antagonises Washington. If there were any, Trump's tariffs and punitive measures have encouraged Lima and others into connecting with China-built port. Chinese projects including upgradation of the Dominican Republic's electric grid, deep-water port on Grand Bahama and "new infrastructure" such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, smart cities and 5G technology have rattled the US about growing China's penetration and alleged cyber threats from Beijing. These fears aren't holding regional leaders back from pursuing their economic and social development in partnership with China. Studies show LAC's embracement of China as a partner has benefited it with advances in infrastructure development and trade and investment. Acknowledging BRI has played an important role in Latin America, ass the studies predict that Beijing has signed almost 1,000 bilateral agreements with LAC countries to facilitate and promote trade, investment and cooperation across a wide array of sectors. China's expanding influence is sounding alarm in the US yet it cannot just shift the blame on Beijing, given the fact that Washington has for decades put the region in a pigeonhole and forgotten it. Trump's depreciatory comments, expansionist agenda and renaming of Gulf of Mexico as Gulf of America would further complicate America's ties with the region and hasten its drive of seeking more autonomy in foreign policy. While Trump's belittling, threatening and domineering posture has gained some achievement, not all LAC countries will toe America's line with most of them alongside China advocating for an inclusive economic globalisation, multilateralism and multilateral trading system. In this battle of narratives between China and the US, the latter's narrative seems to have dominated the former's.
