How long does it take for a mango from Peru to journey across the ocean to China? The answer used to be 34 days. However, with the operation of the Chancay Port, shipping time between the two countries has been shortened to just 23 days, cutting logistics costs by over 20 percent. 

The Chancay Port, situated on the Pacific coast in Lima, capital of Peru, is a flagship project of China-Peru cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, a China-proposed initiative aiming to boost connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. The port was inaugurated by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte on November 14.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Xi's proposal to build a China-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) community with a shared future. Over the past decade, the China-LAC practical cooperation has generated tangible outcomes like the Chancay Port.

Shared prosperity

Xi arrived in Lima on November 14 for a state visit to Peru and the 31st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting on November 15. It was his third visit to Peru as Chinese head of state and the third time he had met with Boluarte in a year.

During his talks with Boluarte, Xi underscored the importance for the two sides to align their development strategies, intensify the potential for cooperation and create a new pattern of practical cooperation. China and Peru should strengthen trade and investment in parallel as "two wheels" driving both countries forward, advance traditional and emerging industries in parallel as "two wings" propelling them upward, and promote the integration of industrial and supply chains, he said.

During the visit, the two countries issued a joint statement, welcoming the signing of a protocol on upgrading the bilateral free trade agreement and expressing readiness to cooperate on large-scale infrastructure projects in accordance with their respective national laws.

In China and Peru, across political, business, academic, media and think tank communities, there is intense focus on the direction of China-Peru and China-LAC relations over the next decade.

"Strategic alignment between large nations like Peru and China enhances development prospects and strengthens the foundation for a productive partnership," said Gustavo Cordero Jon Tay, a member of the Peruvian parliament and President of the Peru-China Parliamentary Friendship League, during a seminar held in Lima on November 5.

The seminar was co-hosted by the China International Communications Group (CICG) Center for the Americas and China Yangtze Power Co. Ltd., with marking the 10th anniversary of Xi's proposal of the China-LAC community with a shared future as one of its themes.

The emphasis on social equity and justice throughout China's poverty reduction efforts aligns closely with LAC values, providing a strong foundation for further deepening bilateral relations and diplomatic ties, Cordero Jon Tay said.

Enrique Cornejo, former Minister of Transportation and Communications of Peru, expressed his hope at the seminar that the two countries will strengthen connectivity and deepen cooperation to further advance their relationship. 

He suggested several areas for enhanced collaborative efforts, including the development of port logistics hubs to streamline trade between Peru and China, boosting trade in high-value-added products to better integrate with China's vast market, and accelerating Peru's transition to sustainable transportation by developing new-energy vehicles. Said vehicles refer to vehicles completely or mainly driven by new energy sources, including battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles.

Eduardo Yong Motta, President of the Peruvian-Chinese Institute and former Peruvian Minister of Health, noted at the seminar that China places high value on trust and fairness, and the Belt and Road Initiative represents a strategic opportunity for participating LAC countries to achieve economic growth.

Mutual learning

In the 1970s, the Itaipu Hydropower Plant, jointly built by Brazil and Paraguay, provided valuable experience for the feasibility studies and technical design of the Three Gorges Project on China's Yangtze River, now the world's largest hydroelectric plant. Today, the Three Gorges expertise has integrated with Brazil's local power management practices, ensuring that two hydropower plants on the Paraná River, operational for over 50 years, continue to safely and efficiently deliver green energy.

These two hydropower plants are essential components of Brazil's power grid. After decades of operation, aging infrastructure created an urgent need for technical upgrades. Since taking over their operations in 2016, China Three Gorges Corp.'s subsidiary, China Three Gorges Brazil, has been working on modernizing these facilities.

"It's like repairing a car while it's still running—you have to make sure the operation isn't disrupted during maintenance," said Evandro Vasconcelos, Vice President of Renewables and Commercialization at China Three Gorges Brazil. "Nothing fosters cultural integration better than facing challenges together."

This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil. Built on past achievements, their relationship is advancing toward new horizons.

Xi arrived in Rio de Janeiro on November 17 for the 19th Group of 20 (G20) Summit and a state visit to Brazil.

In recent years, China and Brazil have continued to deepen political mutual trust, yielded fruitful results in practical cooperation, achieved flourishing people-to-people and cultural cooperation, and showed new vitality of the times in the traditional friendship, Xi said in a written statement upon his arrival.

Roughly one week earlier, themed Chinese Modernization and New Opportunities for Cooperation Between China and Brazil, the China-Brazil Forum: Exchange and Mutual Learning took place in Rio de Janeiro on November 11.

Co-hosted by the CICG Center for Americas and Rio de Janeiro-based Fluminense Federal University, the forum brought together more than 100 participants from government departments, businesses, academic institutions, media outlets and think tanks of both countries to discuss strategies for strengthening bilateral relations and explore possibilities for cooperation in areas such as innovation, sustainability and infrastructure.

"Over the past five decades, the two countries have overcome differences and strengthened similarities, building a solid partnership marked by mutual respect, constant dialogue, converging interests in cooperation across different areas, and trust," Marcos Galvão, Brazilian Ambassador to China, said in his forum address via video link.

"China-Brazil cooperation holds great significance for the modernization of countries in the Global South," Chai Yu, Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in her keynote speech via video link.

Chai added that the two countries respect each other's development paths, avoid drawing ideological lines and judge matters based on their merits, setting a valuable example to the Global South.

Across the Pacific

China-Peru and China-Brazil relations serve as a mirror of China-LAC ties.

"Over the past decade, the vision of building a China-LAC community with a shared future has deeply resonated with the people on both sides," CICG Editor in Chief Gao Anming said at the Lima seminar.

He expressed confidence that, with China and LAC countries working together to build a community with a shared future, the partnership has entered a new phase and that the next decade of China-LAC relations holds even greater promise.

Li Yafang, President of the CICG Center for Americas, said at the Lima seminar that the speeches and remarks from the guests reflected how the concept of building a China-LAC community with a shared future had resonated deeply with the people of both sides.

She stated that the CICG Center for Americas will continue to uphold its mission, serving as a bridge to promote close communication with partners and enhance exchanges with people from all countries across the Americas. 

(High Hopes for the Next Decade)

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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