BEIJING, Oct. 30 (ChinaMil) -- The Fourth China-Latin America High-level Defense Forum was launched at the International College of Defense Studies (ICDS) of the National Defense University (NDU) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday morning.
The Bolivian defense minister, Costa Rican security minister, chief of Uruguay’s Defense General Staff as well as other leaders from Latin American defense (security) departments and militaries attended the forum.
Major General Shao Yuanming, Vice-Chief of Staff at the Joint Staff Department of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC), attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.
Shao said that China and Latin American countries have had frequent high-level reciprocal visits, deepened economic and trade cooperation, worked closely to cooperate in international affairs, and made breakthroughs in their overall cooperation in recent years. The China-Latin America High-level Defense Forum reflects China’s sincere desire to develop China-Latin America defense and military relations.
In accordance with the guidelines of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s thought on diplomacy, the Chinese side will work with Latin American friends to build a community of shared future for China and Latin American countries, with a view to jointly pushing the China-Latin America comprehensive cooperative partnership to a new stage, he said.
General Juan José Saavedra Fernández, chief of Uruguay’s Defense General Staff, spoke as a representative of the foreign parties to the forum. He said that China’s achievements, which are obvious to all, promoted world peace and development.
“China and Latin America share a common vision for military exchanges and cooperation, and all Latin American countries including Uruguay, hope to turn this good vision into reality”, he added.
Under the theme of “enhancing understanding and promoting cooperation”, the forum adopted special lectures and interactive exchanges to discuss diplomatic, economic and social development issues to which China and Latin American countries are paying attention in the context of globalization, and to introduce such special topics as “China’s reform and opening up and President Xi Jinping’s governance” and “the Belt and Road Initiative”.
Through this, the representatives of the participating countries will be able to understand China’s foreign policy and military development, enhance their mutual trust and friendship, and expand exchanges and cooperation.
Lieutenant General Wu Jieming, Political Commissar of the NDU of the Chinese PLA, and the envoys of Latin American countries to China, also attended the opening ceremony.
