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The Vice President of the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP) and of the Council of State of Cuba, Ana María Mari Machado, held an online meeting on February 21 with the Vice President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Wang Chen.
The President of Argentina, Alberto Fernandez visited China in February 2022, to meet with President Xi Jinping. The meeting led to a total of 14 Chinese companies signing contracts to invest in Argentina, outside of the Silk Road Agreement, and immediately deploying different economic development projects.
Ecuador is still struggling to divest itself of oil pre-sales. Although there are contracts with the oil creditor companies, the Ecuadorian government is looking for a way to change the situation to its advantage. The business meant a loss of almost US$5,000 million for the country.
The shareholding of the retail company Justo & Bueno (J&B) was purchased by the Chinese conglomerate Joining Futures Capital International Limited. The news of the purchase was made official last Thursday, April 19, following the supermarket company’s financial crisis that began in 2021.
As part of the re-establishment of the diplomatic situation between Nicaragua and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), a series of agreements have been signed to benefit the Central American country. Among these is the “great housing program” that has been underway since February 2022.
An e-summit was held on Friday, April 29, 2022, where China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced the establishment of a “Disaster Relief Fund for Caribbean countries”. Diplomatic representatives from the following nine nations attended the online meeting: Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados.
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Mexico, Zhu Qingqiao, met with the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Sergio Gutiérrez Luna to discuss issues of mutual concern, including international cooperation, peace, economic recovery, and the supply of vaccines against COVID-19.
On April 19, 2022, the COVID-19 vaccines donated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) arrived at the Maurice Bishop International Airport in St. George, Grenada. The delivery ceremony was attended by Wei Hongtian, the Chinese Ambassador to China, along with Nickolas Steele, the Minister of Health and Social Security, who signed the certificate of delivery for the vaccines.
JBS, the world’s largest meat producer, created a new business unit to rent electric trucks to distribute refrigerated cargo to retail. This initiative will support the company in its plan to reduce carbon emissions, as well as reduce logistics costs in the medium and long term.
On April 5th, the Taiwanese charity organization Cao Zhong Zhi Foundation, donated assistive devices for people with physical disabilities in Haiti. This donation was made through the US “Food for the Poor” organization.
The Chinese corporation Hainergy New Energy, part of the Haier group, donated 10 non-invasive pulmonary ventilators to the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, destined for four hospitals in Havana.
Sun Xintang is a Chinese scholar and writer born in 1975 in Guantao, China. In order to promote his country’s culture in Mexico, Xintang selected and translated seven poems by three different Chinese authors for the digital magazine OtrosDiálogos, which belongs to Colegio de México.
The China Public Diplomacy Association and the Embassy of China in Argentina launched the China-Argentina Friendship and Cooperation Year 2022 Video Contest, as part of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.
The Embassy of China in Costa Rica officially opened a call for entries for its second Vlog contest, “China from a Costa Rican perspective”, as part of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
On April 11, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Ecuador, Chen Guoyou, joined the President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, in a special program announcing the delivery of 2,932 houses for people who lost their homes in the earthquake in Esmeraldas and Manabí.
China Mastery Colombia 2022 is an import event that reaches the city of Bogota thanks to Valeria Bernardo to promote entrepreneurship through the business of imports from China and the United States.
China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) suspended imports from two Brazilian beef plants and a Brazilian poultry producer, according to a statement on its website.
The Opening Ceremony of the Innovative China-Grenada Youth Friendship Basketball Court was held on April 8th at the Youth Center in Grand Anse, St. George’s. This project was funded by the Chinese Embassy in Grenada, and took approximately five weeks to complete.
On April 4, 2022, Panama’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Érika Mouynes, began her Asian tour in an effort to advance and strengthen bilateral relations with the countries in the region. The first Asian country the Foreign Minister visited was China, where she expressed the importance of maintaining the neutrality of the Panama Canal in light of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The first people of Chinese descent arrived in Panama 169 years ago. Approximately 750 people from China emigrated to Panama to help build railroads. A monument was erected at the lookout point of the Las Americas Bridge to recognize the work and friendship between the two countries.
The Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Félix Plasencia, announced that he had met with the Ambassador of China, Li Baorong, to review the bilateral agenda with which they seek to deepen the strategic alliance between the two countries.
Panama and the People’s Republic of China have closely linked domestic interests. Both countries strive to make progress on specific issues such as foreign investment, tourism, logistics, financial and commercial sectors, etc. This led Panama’s Foreign Minister, Erika Mouynes, to announce on March 30, 2022 the agenda of her Asian tour, which began the week of April 4, 2022.
The Chinese company BYD, one of the most important companies in clean energy and electric vehicles, presented the first Brazilian-made electric articulated bus in the city of São José dos Campos, State of São Paulo, along with the first monorail train that will be part of one of São Paulo’s subway lines.
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) is a Chinese technology company that was founded in 2011. It is the world’s largest manufacturer of batteries and storage systems for electric vehicles. The company is analyzing sites in Mexico to install a US$5 billion plant to supply the demand it faces.
Argentina’s President, Alberto Fernández, met with representatives of the Chinese mining company Zijin Mining Group on March 22. The company is already constructing a lithium carbonate plant at the Tres Quebradas deposit, 170 kilometers east of Fiambalá, in the province of Catamarca, Argentina. The meeting was held to officially welcome both the representatives and the president of the mining company.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning and Development, Penelope Beckles, met with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Fan Qiu, to discuss the country’s accession to China’s Global Development Initiative. This initiative prioritizes innovation-driven development with a people-centered approach.
Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador (CELEC) is a state-owned company engaged in the generation, transmission, distribution, commercialization, import and export of electricity. CELEC completed the construction contract for the civil works of the Toachi Pilatón hydroelectric project, signed on December 24, 2020, with China International Water & Electric Corporation (CWE).
According to Idexcam data, Peruvian exports to the People’s Republic of China in the month of February 2022 reached US$4,595 million, representing an increase of 7% over the same period in 2021. Thus, China is the main destination for Peruvian exports valued at a total of US$1,264 million.
On March 5, 2022, flight #42 of the China-Venezuela Airlift arrived with more than 69 tons of medicines, medical-surgical supplies and medical equipment to Caracas, Venezuela, confirming the consolidation of bilateral relations between these two countries.
The Fructuoso Rodríguez Basic Secondary School, in Plaza de la Revolución municipality in Havana (Cuba), began offering Chinese course
The United States and Panama signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2007. Producer unions and associations have been demanding that negotiations be opened to address the extension of the elimination of some of the country’s sensitive products. The Minister of Agricultural Development, Augusto Valderrama, warned that “if the US does not accept, we would have to look for alternatives and that would be to export these products to other countries.” One of these alternatives would be to initiate a free trade agreement (FTA) with the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Chinese mining company Zijin will invest US$380 million through its subsidiary Liex to build a lithium carbonate plant in the province of Catamarca (Argentina).
President Alberto Fernández’ visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in February 2022 brought with it a series of novelties regarding Argentina’s relations with the Asian country. The topics discussed included the signing of the Belt and Road initiative, which was not signed until March 15, despite the fact that the announcement was made in February.
The cities of Cali (Colombia) and Tianjin (People’s Republic of China (PRC) signed an agreement to establish cooperation and relations with each other. This agreement promotes innovation, productive diversification, and the elimination of underinvestment and the scarcity of technological advances with a view to overcoming poverty and inequality.
On March 3, Chen Guoyou, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Ecuador, met with Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Holguin at the headquarters of Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, the officials reviewed several issues of bilateral and global interest.
The Seminar on the new era of investment and business opportunities within the framework of the Economic Cooperation Agreement (ECA) was held on March 10, 2022. The event was organized by the Embassy of Belize in the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Central American Trade Office, the China International Economic Cooperation Promotion Association, and the Latin American Trade Commission.
Diplomatic relations between Guyana and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were formalized on June 27, 1972, making this year the 50th anniversary of this diplomatic milestone. Guyana was one of the first Caribbean Community and Commons Market (CARICOM) —an organization of Caribbean countries, which promotes economic integration and cooperation among its member countries— to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC.
On December 9, 2021, Nicaragua acknowledged the government of the People’s Republic of China. Almost three months later, Daniel Edmundo Ortega Murillo, Media Coordinator of the Communication and Citizenship Council in Nicaragua, signed three Agreements with Media Groups and News Agencies of the People’s Republic of China.
Banco do Brasil received a US$ 500 million (R$ 2,576.8 million) loan from the China Development Bank (CDB) through its subscriber in Grand Cayman. The loan was signed on January 12 and is the first such financing between the two banks.
ProColombia recently highlighted that China was the Asian country with the highest investment in Colombia in 2021, a leadership position it has maintained since 2018.
Cuba will sell products through the Chinese e-commerce platform JD WorldWide, one of the most important e-commerce platforms in China, along with Alibaba, Taobao, and Sunning, among others.
Over the years, the records of the exchange of goods and services between Uruguay and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have shown a positive balance of trade. Beef accounted for the largest share.
In 2019, the Chinese electronic equipment company, Xiaomi, opened its first store in Chile. In the last quarter of 2021, the company grew by 46%, leaving the technology company with a market share of 21% in Chile.
In February 2022, the Ecuadorian Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, visited the People’s Republic of China to attend various meetings geared towards strengthening cooperation in the area of public health. Following the visit, the Minister authorized the installation in Ecuador of a factory to manufacture Chinese-made vaccines against COVID-19 and other regular vaccines.
February 19 this year marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Argentina and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Argentina was one of the first countries in the region to establish diplomatic relations with China, following the reinstatement of China’s legal seat at the United Nations.
The People’s Republic of China is offering 4 virtual multilateral courses between March and April 2022: Seminar on Investment and Development, Seminar for officials and business leaders involved in the telecommunications and IT industry, Seminar on Educational computerization and training in edible mushroom technology.
Political figures from both countries spoke at the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of these diplomatic relations. One of them was the President of the Board of the Senate of the Republic, Olga Sanchez Cordero, who endorsed the good faith that persists between the two nations.
Starting February 19, 2022, to March 31 of this year, La Cometa Gallery in Bogota, (Colombia) opens its doors to Ai Weiwei, a Chinese activist, artist, and architect, who in recent years has become one of the most important exponents of contemporary art today.
Data recently published by the China Chamber of Commerce indicate that, in 2021, the Asian country imported 7.03 million metric tons of fruit, among which grapes and cherries from Chile stood out
Following the visit of Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso to Beijing, both governments (China and Ecuador) began negotiations for a free trade agreement.
Chinese company Ginlong Technologies (Solis) announced that in 2022, it will expand its presence in Latin America by opening offices in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and the Dominican Republic as new markets for its clean energy generation products.
An Argentine military delegation will travel to the People’s Republic of China in March as part of a bilateral defense cooperation agreement which, among other issues, includes the purchase of Chinese fighter jets.
Great Britain rejected the People’s Republic of China’s position on Argentina’s claim over the Falkland Islands. This alarmed the British government even more after diplomatic matters became one of the priorities of the agreement signed by Alberto Fernández and Xi Jinping.
Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy was launched in 2021, as a short-, medium- and long-term development planning program intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In November 2021, the China Railway Group Limited received approval to build this renewable energy project, and the company will assume all operational and construction costs.
In an interview with Vice News, a US news media outlet, Vice President of Guyana, Bharrat Jadgeo spoke about relations between Guyana and the PRC, and the fact that Guyana has been affected by the increased political tension between the PRC and the US.
On February 6, Argentina joined the New Silk Roads initiative, as part of an agreement reached during Argentine President Alberto Fernandez’s visit to China.
The Uruguayan weekly magazine Búsqueda published an article on how the situation in Ukraine and the tensions between Russia, the United States, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) could potentiallly impact on China and, consequently, on the Free Trade Agreement with Uruguay. The President of Uruguay denied the information.
The Chinese pharmaceutical company, Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products, has launched a new vaccine called Zifivax to combat COVID-19. According to the resolution published by Invima —the institution in charge of national health references— there are sufficient reasons to approve of vaccine, as it has proven to be effective against COVID-19.
Ecuador’s Health Minister, Ximena Garzón, is part of the delegation accompanying President Guillermo Lasso on his trip to China during the first weeks of February for the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. The Ecuadorian minister will attend various meetings aimed at strengthening international cooperation, particularly in the area of public health.
February 1, 2022, marked the Chinese New Year, a traditional holiday of great importance in the Chinese calendar. Bogotá (Colombia) was one of the cities in Latin America and the Caribbean that joined the celebration. The Colombian capital also took the opportunity to celebrate 42 years of diplomatic relations with the Asian country.
Following Great Wall Motors (GWM) official launch in the Brazilian market, the Chinese brand announced that it will invest some R$10 billion (US$1.85 billion) in Brazil to produce hybrid and electric vehicles.
Nucleoeléctrica is an Argentinean electricity generating company that operates the Embalse and Atucha I and II nuclear power plants. On February 1, the company signed an agreement to develop a project with the China National Nuclear Cooperation (CNNC), which will include the construction of a nuclear plant of the fourth nuclear power plant in Argentina.
On December 9, 2021, after three decades of diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Nicaragua recognized the government of the People’s Republic of China. President Xi Jinping sent a delegation to the Central American country to conclude a new agreement. This will be the first cooperation project between the two countries and consists of a housing program.
During the inauguration of the Mexico-China 2022 Forum: Recovery in action, Cora Cecilia Pinedo Alonso, the chair of the Asia-Pacific-Africa Foreign Relations Commission, said that because of the various crises resulting from the pandemic, Mexico and China are seeking financial recovery through promotions and increased free trade between the two nations to create new areas of opportunity for foreign investment.
Following the opening of the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, President Xi Jinping hosted a luncheon at the People’s Palace for the heads of state attending the opening. Among the guests was Argentine President Alberto Fernandez.
PromPerú reported that actions to promote Peruvian coffee in the Chinese market have been carried out through trade offices abroad. This process started in 2018 through reverse missions to Peru, where samples, coffee tastings, seminars, and live broadcasts were presented to the public. As a result, Peruvian coffee shipments to China increased significantly from USD $486, 329 in 2018 to USD$1.7 million in 2021.
During a session at the Mexico-China 2022 Forum: Recovery in action, the embassy’s Counsellor for Economic, Commercial and Promotional Affairs, Santiago Toledo, stated that the relationship between Mexico and China has been deepening in recent years, and assured that by 2022, all trade records between the two countries will be broken.
Estimates by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) show Guyana’s economy expanding by 46%, making it one of the few countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region to show economic growth. The Chinese government noted that Guyana’s economic boom, driven by the oil and gas sector, has resulted in a doubling of bilateral trade in the past two years.
Joe Viera Park is located in Schoonord, West Bank Demerara in Guyana. The park is currently abandoned and is serving as a habitat for local wildlife. In 2022, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Guyana will be celebrating their 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations which were established in 1972. To mark the occasion, the PRC has decided to invest US$10-12 million to build a Friendship Park between the two countries, using the Joe Viera Park as a base.
On January 6, the Confucius Institute at Universidad de Panama inaugurated the online summer camp to bring the 10 participating countries in Latin America and the Caribbean closer to traditional Chinese culture. Panama, Jamaica, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Peru, Mexico, Chile, and Ecuador participated in the event.
Chirey, a Chinese car brand, is traded on international markets including Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Brazil, and is looking to expand into the Mexican market.
President Luis Arce continues to work on the development plans for Bolivia. In 2021 Bolivia had signed a project with the Chinese company Sinosteel to build a plant for steel extraction and a gas plant will be built in the same complex in 2022.
On January 13, the Argentine Energy Secretariat met with China Electric Power Equipment and Technology (CET) to sign a project for the construction of a new power transformer station in the South American country.
In 2019, China and Cuba announced the creation of the International Artificial Intelligence Research Institute. However, it was not until January of this year that such cooperation was provided.
Grisel Sánchez, community leader of the Central Committee of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) demanded that the Government “dust off” some bilateral agreements signed between China and the Dominican Republic.
President Daniel Ortega together with his wife and Vice President, Rosario Murillo, and his son, Laureano Ortega Murillo, met with an official delegation from the PRC, led by Cao Jianming, special envoy of President Xi Jinping. Four cooperation agreements were signed between the two nations at the meeting.
The new headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, officially named “The Hugh Lawson Shearer Building,” was inaugurated on January 19, while the building was constructed by the Chinese company, Jiangsu Jiangdu Construction Group Company Limited.
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso made an official visit to the People’s Republic of China in February of this year. The visit will coincide with the winter games in Beijing, and will also serve as an opportunity to discuss political and economic issues.
As one of the main beef producers in the world, Uruguay, on November 25, the National Meat Institute (INC) launched a promotional campaign called “Taste the meat in the year of Ox, a delicacy from Uruguay”. The event concluded on January 11.
A study conducted by researchers at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile reveals that China’s relations with Latin America and the Caribbean are becoming increasingly closer. The study highlights that in recent decades investments made by the Asian country in the region have increased from $7 billion to $64 billion and that in the next few years.
Having been sanctioned by the US as a result of the arms embargo, Venezuela and Iran are seeking to reactivate their respective economies through oil exports. Meanwhile, China increased its oil imports from Venezuela and Iran in 2021 to their highest level in the last three years.
At the beginning of the current year, the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) revealed data on imports between January and November 2021, estimating that imports totaled US$6,545 million. The most surprising aspect of this study was that, for the first time in eight years, China leads annual imports to Colombia.
Peru received a batch of more than one million doses of Sinopharm against the coronavirus, donated by the Chinese government, on November 13.
Xiaomi opened its largest store in Central America, a 400-square-meter store in downtown San José, on November 5. Investment in the store, which stocks smartphones and other electronic devices such as watches, screens, headphones, scooters, robot vacuum cleaners, etc., amounted to more than US$1 million.
On November 10, the School of Politics, Government, and International Relations at Argentina’s Universidad Austral held a lecture entitled: “Argentina and China, the comprehensive strategic partnership and the Huawei case as a technological challenge for telecommunications in the post-pandemic world.
The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is an annual event held in the People’s Republic of China to enable traders from all over the world to promote their products in order to establish trade in the Asian’s country’s market. The eighth version of the Expo took place in Shanghai, on November 5 – 10 this year.
The annual XIV China-Latin America and the Caribbean Business Summit, first held in 2007, was held this year on November 16 and 17, in the city of Chongqing. The Summit connected Chinese and Latin American businesspeople in a context of economic cooperation.
Li Zhanshu, chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), met with Peru’s President of Congress, Maria del Carmen Alva, via video call on November 10. Li said that China-Peru relations have developed rapidly and have deepened mutual political trust and improved economic and trade cooperation.
On November 15, the Chilean Civil Registry annulled the tender awarded to the Chinese-German consortium Aisino-Mühlbauer to issue passports and identity cards. Through its spokesman, Minister Jaime Bellolio, the Chilean government indicated that “certain new information is requested regarding the protection of personal data.
The Forum’s 28th Economic Leaders’ Meeting was held on November 12, with the online presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The President’s speech was based on five main points, all of which directly involved the Latin American countries that are part of the Forum.
Under the concept of “digital cities”, Buenos Aires seeks to attract travelers, students, and digital nomads from China as part of its post-pandemic tourism reactivation strategy.
CATL President, Chen Junwei, recently met with the Secretary of Mining of Argentina, Alberto Hensel, and the President of YPF, Pablo Gonzalez, in order to reach an agreement for the development of joint projects in Argentina.
The cost of exports from Asia has increased by 50% in Peru in the short term. From China to Callao, Peru’s most important port, they have increased up to five times their value compared to before the pandemic: according to the Peruvian Association of Port Operators (Asppor), freight rates have increased from US$2,000 to US$10,000.
Some of the proposed plans for this refinancing have to do with the authorization given by Fernandez to the director of the Central Bank, Miguel Angel Pesce, to negotiate an extension of funds in yuan with the People’s Bank of China.
The People’s Republic of China delivered three donations to the Municipality of San Salvador, for the reconstruction of the San Miguelito market, which is the third largest in El Salvador and which, in September 2021 was almost destroyed by a fire.
The III China-CELAC Political Parties Forum was held in Beijing from November 30 to December 1 of 2021 to promote the exchange of political networks between China and Latin America, focusing on joining the efforts of political parties to build the China-CELAC shared future community.
Xiomara Castro: The new President of Honduras and the outlook for the country’s relations with China
November 28th marked the general elections in Honduras for a new Head of State. Candidate Xiomara Castro, of the Libertad y Fundación Party, won with 1,709,081 votes, equivalent to 50.63% of the total. The new leader has championed numerous proposals, one that has generated the most controversy due to its diplomatic consequences has to do with the breaking of bilateral relations with Taiwan to establish them with the People’s Republic of China.
The Caribbean Train, a railroad that connects the three main cities of the Colombian Caribbean coast -Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena- to transport both cargo and passengers, is an infrastructure project that has been in the pipeline for more than five years. Through its representative in Colombia, Juan Felipe Velásquez, the Chinese company BYD has already submitted a proposal for the construction of the project.
Infotep (Instituto Nacional de Formación Técnico Profesional) and Huawei Technologies Dominicana signed a cooperation agreement in which they commit to work together on a technical training project in telecommunications and information technology implemented in the country.
A batch of 500,000 vaccines (500,000) donated by China arrived in Ecuador on October 30 to reinforce the latter’s National Vaccination Plan. The CoronaVac vaccine shipment arrived at Quito’s “Mariscal Sucre” airport.