The world is now at a stage of major development, transformation, and adjustment. All countries are interdependent and increasingly connected to each other, and humanity faces many common challenges. Although geographically distant, China and the Latin American and Caribbean states are all developing countries pursuing the common dream of world peace, prosperity, and a better life for our peoples. The Chinese people will work with the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean in making a greater contribution to the building of a global community of shared future.

When I proposed international cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative four years ago, China offered to work with all interested parties to build a new platform of global cooperation, to boost interconnectivity, and to add new drivers for common development. The initiative has received warm support from the international community, including many Latin American and Caribbean countries. In ancient times Chinese ancestors braved the oceans and opened up the maritime Silk Road between China and Latin America. Today, as we roll out the blueprint for the Belt and Road Initiative, we strive to forge a route for cooperation across the Pacific, in order to draw closer the two lands of abundance of China and Latin America, and open a new era of friendly relations.

Let us sail together towards a better tomorrow for China and Latin America, and a better future for humanity.

(Source: Extract from Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to the Second Ministerial Meeting of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, January 22, 2018.)

This episode is presented by Shen Ting.