The Chinese government launched its first-ever policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean region on November 5, in Beijing. Excerpts from the paper are published below. The first part was published last week:

The Chinese government will, according to its financial capability and level of economic and social development, continue to provide economic and technical assistance to relevant Latin American and Caribbean countries without attaching any political conditions.

The Chinese Government will work within its ability and gradually increase its assistance to Latin American and Caribbean countries to meet their needs.

Multilateral Cooperation

The Chinese government is ready to strengthen consultation and coordination with Latin American and Caribbean countries in multilateral trade and financial institutions and regimes, with a view to promoting South-South cooperation, bringing about a more just and equitable multilateral trading regime and ensuring a bigger say and greater role in decision making for developing countries in international trade and financial affairs.

The Chinese side will deepen its cooperation with chambers of commerce of Latin America and the Caribbean, and push forward exchanges between business communities of the two sides through the China-Latin America Entrepreneur Summit, China-Caribbean Entrepreneurs Meeting and other mechanisms, in an effort to achieve win-win results.

Cultural and Social Aspects

Cultural and sports exchanges

The Chinese Government will work actively to follow up on cultural cooperation agreements and relevant implementation programmes signed with Latin American and Caribbean countries, maintain regular exchange of visits between cultural authorities of the two sides, and strengthen interaction and cooperation between cultural and art institutions and professionals of the two sides.

To meet the needs for cultural exchange and market demand, the two sides will provide guidance for and push forward a variety of cultural exchange programmes among various communities of the two sides.

The Chinese side will keep the momentum of exchanges between the sports authorities and national Olympic committees, and encourage direct contacts between sports associations of the two sides. Guidance and encouragement will also be given to bilateral sports exchanges in various forms.

Science, technology and education

The Chinese side is ready to enhance scientific and technological exchanges with Latin American and Caribbean countries through the mixed committee on bilateral science and technology cooperation and high-level coordinating mechanism.

The Chinese side will also strengthen cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean in aeronautics and astronautics, bio-fuel, resources and environment technology, marine technology and other areas of shared interest.

The Chinese side will promote wider application of Chinese technologies on energy conservation, digital medical treatment, small hydropower and other results of scientific research and advanced applied techniques in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Chinese side will provide Latin American and Caribbean countries with technical training, services and demonstration, and step up cooperation and exchanges on the educational front with Latin American and Caribbean countries through bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms.

The Chinese side will work for the conclusion of the agreement on mutual recognition of diplomas and academic degrees, and increase the number of Chinese government scholarships for Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Medical and health care

The Chinese government will vigorously promote exchanges and cooperation in the medical and health care sector with Latin American and Caribbean countries, and share experience and carry out cooperation in such areas as disease control, response to public health emergencies, and control of HIV/AIDS and bird flu.

The Government will continue to send medical contingents equipped with necessary medicines and medical equipment to relevant countries to help improve local medical facilities and train local medical professionals.

Consular cooperation and personnel exchanges

The Chinese Government will develop and deepen consular relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries, and strengthen and expand exchanges and cooperation between the consular departments of the two sides.

The Chinese Government will carry out bilateral or multilateral friendly discussions with Latin American and Caribbean countries on consular issues of shared interest to address each other's concerns through the establishment of a consular consultation mechanism.

The Chinese Government will take effective measures to promote and safeguard regular personnel exchanges between the two sides, facilitate normal trade, investment and business activities and uphold the lawful rights and interests of people of the two sides.

Media cooperation

The Chinese government encourages and actively promotes exchanges and cooperation between the media of the two sides at multiple levels and in various forms to increase mutual understanding and ensure comprehensive and unbiased reports of each other. It will work to increase communication and cooperation between government information departments of the two sides and provide convenience for media interaction and cooperation between the two sides.

People-to-people exchanges

The Chinese government encourages exchanges between non-governmental organisations and academic institutions of the two sides and gives full play to the role of the mechanism for people-to-people friendly interaction in advancing friendly relations between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries.

It will strengthen interaction with youth organisations and institutions of Latin American and Caribbean countries, and deepen friendly cooperation with women's organisations at the national, regional and non-governmental levels in Latin American and Caribbean countries, so as to build up mutual understanding and mutual trust and work together for gender equality and the advancement of women.

Environmental protection

The Chinese side will strengthen exchanges with Latin American and Caribbean countries in laws, regulations and policies related to environmental protection and promote cooperation in personnel training, education and capacity building in the fields of biodiversity conservation, as well as prevention and treatment of pollution and desertification.

Combating climate change

The Chinese Government highly values its cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries in combating climate change and is ready to develop and consolidate bilateral cooperation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other relevant mechanisms. It will actively promote consultation and communication between the two sides on combating climate change and cooperation in related projects.

Human resources and social security

The Chinese side will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries in employment promotion, establishment of good labour relations, improvement of the social security system, human resources development and reform of the civil service system.

Disaster reduction, relief and assistance

The Chinese Government will enhance information sharing, experience exchanges and technological cooperation in disaster reduction and relief with Latin American and Caribbean countries and facilitate the establishment of regular bilateral and multilateral meeting mechanisms between relevant departments of the two sides.

Poverty alleviation

The Chinese Government will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries in reducing poverty and narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor, and will encourage poverty alleviation institutions of the two sides to establish broad cooperative relations to share information and conduct joint research.

More training programmes designed for poverty alleviation personnel in Latin American and Caribbean countries will be launched, while more interaction on poverty reduction with inter-state or regional organisations in Latin America and the Caribbean will be strengthened. The two sides will also enhance exchange of visits and mutual participation in conferences and for a on poverty alleviation held by the other side.

Security and judicial affairs

Military exchanges and cooperation

The Chinese side will actively carry out military exchanges and defence dialogue and cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries. Mutual visits by defence and military officials of the two sides as well as personnel exchanges will be enhanced.

Professional exchanges in military training, personnel training and peacekeeping will be deepened. Practical cooperation in the non-traditional security field will be expanded. The Chinese side will, as its ability permits, continue to provide assistance for the development of the army in Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Judicial and police affairs

The Chinese side will steadily expand its cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries in judicial affairs, judicial assistance in criminal and civil matters and extradition in particular. Cooperation in information sharing, penalty enforcement and legal services will be strengthened.

Concerted efforts in law enforcement involving the interior and police departments of relevant countries will be stepped up to jointly combat transnational organised crimes including drug crimes and economic crimes.

Intelligence and technological exchanges will be strengthened, with bilateral and multilateral exchange mechanisms put in place, so as to share information on illegal immigration and improve the capacity for its prevention.

Non-traditional security issues

The Chinese Government will further its exchanges and cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries on non-traditional security issues by increasing information sharing and personnel exchanges and explore effective ways to deepen cooperation on non-traditional security issues such as combating terrorism, so as to jointly improve the capacity to respond to non-traditional security threats.

Strengthen cooperation

The Chinese Government appreciates the important role of Latin American and Caribbean regional and sub-regional organisations in safeguarding peace and stability in the region, and promoting regional solidarity, development and integration. It supports these organisations in exerting their influence in regional and international affairs.

The Chinese side will continue to strengthen communication, consultation and cooperation with relevant organisations in various fields.