By Xiao Wu, Xingchen Yue, iChongqing news
The delegation formed by diplomatic envoys to China from 19 Latin American and Caribbean Countries started a 4-day investigation tour around Chongqing to seek cooperation opportunities with the fast-growing city. On September 6, Symposium on Chongqing’s Development and Cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean Countries brought together the diplomatic envoys, local authorities and companies, which aims to help both sides get to know more about each other and seek cooperation opportunities in fields such as energy industry, automobile manufacturing, electronic information, agriculture, exchange of experts, trade and investment, industry development, and cultural tourism.
Symposium on Chongqing’s Development and Cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean Countries.
Chongqing is a promising land full of opportunities
During the vigorous city development, Chongqing holds abundant opportunities for its counterparts in Latin American and Caribbean counterparts. At the junction of the Belt and Road and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Chongqing enjoys prominent geographical advantages and strategic position. At present, Chongqing speeds up the construction of significant sea and boarder exit corridors, coordinates the multi-modal transportation of railway, highway, water, and air to develop into the inland international logistics hub. Chongqing is also very actively involved in strengthening business and trade with countries along the Belt and Road. It vigorously promotes big data intelligent and innovative development. It accelerates the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, fosters and develops strategic emerging industries. Taking Smart China Expo as a platform to genuinely participate in international cooperation on the digital economy, Chongqing strives to build itself into a Smart City. Chongqing also carries out coordinated efforts to revitalize rural areas and upgrades the city, strengthens conservation of the natural environment, history, and culture.
Chongqing and Latin American and Caribbean countries are far in the distance but close at heart
Ambassadors of Uruguay, Cuba, Ecuador, Barbados, Suriname, Grenada to China gave speeches at the Symposium to introduced their countries and shed the spotlight on specific fields for potential cooperation.
Ambassador of Uruguay to China, Mr. Fernando Lugris, said that Chongqing is a dynamic city that has achieved great success in the development of smart industries. At the just-concluded Smart China Expo 2019, Uruguay sent a delegation of experts from the energy sector and other smart sectors to participate. Uruguay also hopes to learn from Chongqing’s experience and build itself into a digital and intelligent country. "Even though we are on opposite sides of the globe, Uruguay has been working to build closer ties with southwest China. Chongqing, as the only municipality directly under the central government in western China, plays a crucial role in the tie." Consulate General of Uruguay will open in Chongqing in 2 months to facilitate the cooperation between Chongqing and Uruguay in fields including agriculture, trade and foreign investment, tourism.
Chongqing has close economic and trade exchanges with Latin American and Caribbean countries. From January to July this year, the total import and export volume of Chongqing and 19 visiting countries reached RMB14.743 billion, up 176.4% year-on-year, including RMB 9.47 billion of exports and RMB 5.273 billion of imports. Chongqing has established sister-city relations with relevant provinces and cities in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, and other visiting countries to Chongqing this time.
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