On the morning of January 10, China-Latin American Cooperation and Development Forum were held at the International Conference Hall at the Administrative Building at GDUFS (North Campus). Domestic and foreign scholars from Institute of Latin American Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), School of Economics and Management of Saint Thomas University, School of Business and Faculty of European Languages and Cultures of GDUFS and other institutions attended this forum. Centering around the theme of “New Environment and New Trends”, the attendees discussed together some much-talked-about topics regarding cooperation and development between China and Latin America.

Cang Feng, Associate Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Guangdong Province, Carlos J Marin, Consul of Consulate General of Chile in Guangzhou, Hernan Jaramillo, Commercial Consul of Consulate General of Chile, Yue Yunxia, Director of Institute of Latin American Studies of CASS, Guillermo Yanez Castro, Dean of School of Economics and Management of Saint Thomas University and other distinguished guests from home and abroad attended the forum. Among those attendees at the opening ceremony, there were: Jiao Fangtai, Vice President of GDUFS, Caihong, Head of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange of GDUFS, Yang Ke, Dean of the Faculty of European Languages and Cultures of GDUFS, Li Qing, Secretary General of Guangdong Institute for International Strategies, Pan Xiangyu, Deputy Director General of the Academic Research Division, Zhu Wenzhong, Dean of SOB and Director of Latin American Studies Center, Li Hua, Secretary of the Party Committee of SOB, leaders of SOB and more than 100 teachers’ and students’ representatives from the Faculty of European Languages and Cultures.

Jiao Fangtai delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. He said that GDUFS has always been vigorously promoting international cooperation and exchanges and cultivating high-quality citizens in the trend of globalization. GDUFS has already established cooperative relations with 330 universities and academic cultural institutions from 47 countries and districts including Chili. The university pays great attention to Latin American studies and established Latin American Studies Center. Jiao has also indicated that Chili, taking an important position in Latin America, is a friendly cooperative country of China during the implementation of the Belt and Road initiative. GDUFS has been in cooperation with Saint Thomas University for ten years. The two parties have made fruitful achievements together and today they joint hands again to hold this China-Latin American Cooperation Forum. This academic feast not only has great significance to the friendly cooperation of the two universities, but also can largely promote the construction of the China-Latin American community of destiny and its sustainable development.

Cang Feng said that in recent years, the cooperation between Guangdong and Latin American area has been widen and fruitful achievements have been made. In the near future, Guangdong will work together with Macau in building a China-Latin American trade and commerce cooperation site based on the free trade zone in Zhuhai, Hengqin. Against the backdrop of the new pattern featuring “integration of five elements” regarding China-Latin American relationship, Guangdong and Latin America will see new progress in their cooperation in this new era. This China-Latin American Cooperation Forum is of great significance in promoting the cooperation between Guangdong and Latin American countries.

In his speech, Carlos J Marin indicated that the people of China and Chile share a long history of friendship, that China and Latin America are now seeing their cooperation continue to grow in the field of economy and commerce, and that China has become a major commercial and trade partner of Chile. One of the serious challenges now is to discover the possibility of creating cooperation connections between Chilean and Chinese higher education institutions. And this China-Latin American Cooperation and Development Forum provided great opportunities for this objective to come true. He hoped that through this forum, China and Chile could deepen their cooperation in the field of education. Guillermo Yanez Castro indicated that China and Latin America are now witnessing their cooperation with less limits as well as shorter distance. He also hoped that China and Latin America could have more cooperation and exchanges in all aspects.

After the conclusion of the opening ceremony, the forum entered into the part of keynote address and this part was chaired by Pro.Huang Lei. The speakers’ speeches were all closely related to the theme of the forum. They talked about cooperation and development between China and Latin America against the backdrop of “New Environment and New Trends” from different perspectives.

In the afternoon, the forum entered into the session of group discussion, which was chaired by William and held at the Third Meeting Room of the Administrative Building of GDUFS (North Campus). The theme of this session was China-Latin American Economic Cooperation and Development. Among those speakers at this session, there were Pro. Huang Lei from SOB, Pro.Wu Yiming from School of English for International Business, Li Cuilan from School of Economics and Trade and QiuAimei from SOB.

China-Latin American Cooperation and Development Forum was hosted jointly by GDUFS and Saint Tomas University and co-hosted jointly by SOB, Latin American Studies Center, Guangdong Research Institute for International Studies, Academic Research Division and Office of International Cooperation and Exchange. The fact that this forum was held at GDUFS would certainly greatly promote China-Latin American cooperation and development against the backdrop of “New Environment and New Trends”.