In his optimistic, recorded message to the Seventh Heads of State summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) on Jan. 24, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised CELAC as a “driving force” behind global South-South cooperation, underscoring its role in “safeguarding regional peace, promoting common development and advancing regional integration.” He praised Argentina’s leadership as CELAC’s rotating chair over the past year in advancing this agenda.
In contrast to the proponents of Global NATO who see the world as a series of competing geopolitical blocs which share no common interests, Xi emphasized that the only way to face the period of “turbulence and transformations” into which the world is entering, is by strengthening unity and cooperation. It will take creating a “common front [to face] challenges and together overcome conjunctural difficulties,” he said.
He also underscored, that because China values CELAC as a “key partner” in enhancing solidarity among developing nations, it has worked steadily with the Latin American-Caribbean (LAC) countries to strengthen the China-CELAC Forum and take the China-LAC relationship “into a new era characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefits for the people.”
The Chinese leader pointed out that more and more countries have engaged in “high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with China,” and have supported and participated in the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative to help build a China-LAC community “with a shared future.” The only way to tackle the challenges ahead and move past “this trying time,” he underscored, is through greater solidarity and closer cooperation. China will continue working with LAC countries, he said, “to make progress together, and advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom—the common values of mankind.” (https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202301/t20230125_11014454.html )
As made clear in its Jan. 23 announcement that former Sen. Chris Dodd would be attending the CELAC summit as President Joe Biden’s Special Representative for the Americas, the State Department is clearly unhappy with CELAC’s growing prominence as a regional organization and with China’s role in it. The statement sniped that “consistent with the Biden-Harris Administration’s engagement with relevant regional mechanisms … the U.S. government reaffirms the value of strengthening regional collaboration through the Organization of American States, the premier multilateral forum in the Western Hemisphere.’”
It failed to mention that the OAS has been entirely discredited as an entity capable of honestly representing regional interests, for which reason Argentina didn’t bother to invite it to attend the CELAC summit. OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro is widely considered to be an agent of the United States. (https://www.state.gov/special-presidential-advisor-for-the-americas-dodds-travel-to-argentina/ )
