NPC Vice Chairman Cheng Siwei Leads CLAFA Delegation to Four Latin American Coun

A China-Latin America Friendship Association (CLAFA) delegation headed by Cheng Siwei, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and president of the CLAFA, paid a friendly visit to Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Uruguay from November 10 to 30, 2003 at the invitation of the Ecuadorian-Chinese Friendship Association, the Colombia-China Friendship Association (CCFA), the Brazil-China Cultural Institute and the National Congress of Uruguay. The delegation attended the Second Latin America and Caribbean Regional Conference of Friendship Organizations with China during the visit.

Ecuadorian President Lucio Gutierrez and President of the National Congress Guillermo Landazuri Carillo, Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos and Senate President German Vargas Lleras, First Vice President of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies Inocencio Oliveira, Uruguayan President Jorge Batlle Ibanez, Vice President and President of the Uruguayan National Congress Luis Hierro Lopez and Acting President of the Chamber of Deputies Alberto Scavarelli met with or hosted banquet in honour of the delegation. They all expressed willingness to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Uruguayan President Batlle pointed out, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a developing country with economic strength, China can play a more active role in WTO negotiations, anti-terrorism, the Korean nuclear issue and other international affairs. They expressed their heart-felt admiration for China's rapid economic development and their wish to expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation. During these meetings, they spoke in detail about the resources and the policies of giving preferential treatment to foreign investment of their respective countries. Ecuadorian President Gutierrez hoped that China would increase its import of Ecuadorian bananas and proposed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of petroleum exploitation and refining. Uruguayan President Batlle talked about the fresh water resources and harbour construction projects of Uruguay. Colombian Vice President Santos told the delegation the measures the Colombian Government had taken to curb violence and create favourable environment for foreign investments. They all showed eagerness to develop economic and trade relations with China. Vice Chairman Cheng Siwei explored the possibility of enhancing economic and trade cooperation with them and introduced to them the Chinese entrepreneurs delegation that came on the same trip. He hoped that the entrepreneurs of both sides would establish contact and strengthen cooperation.

The delegation also had extensive contact with the parliaments of these countries. Ney Lopez, president of the Latin American Parliament, congratulated China in advance on its participation as an observer in the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the founding of Latin American Parliament in 2004. On behalf of the Parliament of their respective countries, Guillermo Landazuri Carillo, president of the Ecuadorian National Congress, and German Vargas Lleras, president of the Colombian Senate, conferred medals upon Vice Chairman Cheng Siwei in recognition of his efforts to promote bilateral friendship.

Vice Chairman Cheng Siwei was also invited to speak at the Ecuadorian National Congress. In his speech entitled "China's Economic Development and Its Economic and Trade Relations with Latin America", he highly praised the smooth development of relations between China and Latin American countries and said that the Chinese Government attaches great importance to building a long-term stable relationship of friendship and cooperation with Latin American countries and is willing to further enhance cooperation in various fields. Cheng pointed out, the trade volume between China and Latin American countries at present is still small, taking up only 3% of China's total export volume. But the two sides are highly complementary and have great potential for cooperation. He hoped that efforts would be made to enhance understanding and cooperation between the governments so as to give impetus to the development of economic and trade relations. He also expounded on China's principled stand on economic globalization, multilateral WTO negotiations, and other issues.

Successful Second Latin America and Caribbean Regional Conference of Friendship Organizations with China

It was the first delegation Vice Chairman Cheng Siwei led to visit Latin America since he became the president of the CLAFA. One of the major purposes of the visit was to attend the Second Latin America and Caribbean Regional Conference of Friendship Organizations with China. The theme of the conference was further promoting development of China-Latin America relations under globalization. The conference received the support of the Colombian Government and enthusiastic response of the friendship-with-China organizations and personages in Latin America. Attending the conference were 168 representatives from 16 countries as well as Austrian, Argentine and Lebanese ambassadors to Colombia. Colombia's former Presidents Belisario Betancur Cuartas and Ernesto Samper Pizano, and Acting Foreign Minister Jaime Giron, and CCFA President Jose M. Gomez addressed the conference. They expressed congratulations on the convening of the conference and made positive appraisal of the irreplaceable role played by the people-to-people friendship organizations in promoting official ties. Vice Chairman Cheng Siwei, former Director of Colombia's National Planning Department Santiago Montenegro, renowned Colombian economist Eduardo Sarmiento and CPAFFC Vice President Li Xiaolin made keynote speeches.

In his speech Vice Chairman Cheng Siwei talked about the present situation of China's reform and opening up and the bright prospects of China-Latin America economic and trade relations, and answered questions about economic globalization, the so-called China threat, etc.

The participants took the floor one after another. Apart from introducing the rich and colourful friendship-with-China activities their respective organizations had sponsored, they also offered suggestions on how to solve the problems such as the ageing membership, the lack of funds, etc. that troubled the development of the friendship organizations.

Founded in recent years, the Panamanian Association of Friendship with China and the Dominica-China Friendship Association have been very active. They, by overcoming difficulties and enthusiastically carrying out activities of various kinds, have not only raised their standing and influence among the public, but also attracted people of various strata including important government officials to join their organizations. The presidents of the two organizations said that when they return home their most important task is to mobilize people of all walks of life and vigorously push for the early establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

Representatives from Venezuela, Haiti and Bahamas said that they would learn from the experience of friendship organizations of other countries and work hard for the early establishment of friendship organizations in their own countries.

The conference unanimously approved the resolution to set up the Latin America-China Friendship Association and elected a Preparatory Committee headed by CCFA President Jose M. Gomez to take charge of drafting the statutes and selecting the site of the Association.

The participants all expressed that despite the long distance between China and Latin America and the Caribbean region, the conference has built a stage for bilateral exchanges and provided them the opportunity to learn the latest developments in China and the advanced experience of other friendship organizations in carrying out friendly activities with China. They also spoke highly of China's remarkable courage and insight and political wisdom to transcend differences in ideology, showing to the world its new diplomatic posture.