On 9 May, 2025, Her Excellency Yan Jiarong, Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas, published an article titled “Unity to Meet Our Common Challenges” in The Tribune, the largest newspaper in The Bahamas. The full text is as follows:
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the official operation of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum. The Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Forum will be held in Beijing on May 13. We warmly welcome the Hon. Alfred Sears, Minister of Immigration and National Insurance and the Hon. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness, to represent The Bahamas to attend the meeting. The theme of the meeting is “Deepening Development Cooperation for Common Progress and Building a China-LAC Community with a Shared Future.” At a time when uncertainties, instabilities, and unpredictable factors are on the rise globally, China stands ready to work with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries including The Bahamas to chart the course for future cooperation, send a strong message of unity and coordination, and inject stability and positive energy to a turbulent world.
Regrettably, though not surprisingly, whenever China and LAC countries are embracing fresh opportunities for development, voices smearing China and undermining China-LAC cooperation re-emerge. Over the past decade, as China-LAC relations have flourished, the U.S. has repeatedly played the same old tune of hyping up “China threat” narratives and falsely claiming that China harbors strategic motives behind its cooperation with LAC countries. Facts speak louder than words. China’s cooperation with LAC countries has delivered tangible benefits and is welcomed by the people. China is not a colonialist, but a true friend and brother of LAC countries in the Global South. We always respect LAC countries and offer valuable opportunities for their independent development, prosperity, and strength.
1. Political mutual trust has been strengthened.
Political mutual trust is the foundation of China-LAC relations. Over the past decade, under the guidance of building a China-LAC community with a shared future, our relations have entered a new stage featuring equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness, and benefits for the people. An increasing number of LAC countries have responded positively to and participated in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. In March 2024, The Bahamas formally endorsed GDI. This fully demonstrates LAC countries’ recognition and support for China’s vision and highlights the growing political mutual trust between the two sides.
China and LAC countries firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity, and core interests. We oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs and reject hegemony and power politics. China supports LAC’s regional integration and seeks to develop relations with the region on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and non-interference. China-LAC cooperation is South-South cooperation—based on mutual support and free from geopolitical calculation. In developing relations with LAC countries, China follows the principles of mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation. We do not seek spheres of influence or target any third party. Certain country should abandon its outdated Cold War mentality and zero-sum mindset, and stop coercing LAC countries into taking sides.
2. Economic and Trade Cooperation has yielded fruitful results
Over the past decade, China-LAC cooperation has expanded from traditional sectors to new areas such as clean energy, digital technology, and cross-border e-commerce, with continuous upgrading in quality and efficiency. China has remained LAC’s second-largest trading partner for many years. In 2024, China-LAC trade reached a historic high of US $ 518.4 billion—double the figure of ten years ago. More than 20 LAC countries have joined the Belt and Road Initiative. Ten have signed cooperation plans with China. More and more countries are actively supporting the GDI. China has carried out over 200 infrastructure projects in the region. The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in Trinidad and Tobago is now the most advanced light industrial zone in the Caribbean in terms of automation and environmental standards. Jamaica’s first modern expressway has cut travel time between its northern and southern coasts by more than half. These projects have created nearly one million jobs and laid a solid foundation for sustainable development in LAC region.
Today, products such as beef, coffee, lobster, bananas, and cherries from LAC countries are readily available across Chinese cities and e-commerce platforms. Chinese electric vehicles are a common sight in LAC countries, including on the streets of Nassau. High-end smart phones made entirely in China are increasingly popular among LAC consumers—vivid proof of the vitality of our economic and trade partnership.
China believes that LAC countries have the right and wisdom to choose their own trading partners. No country should dictate whom LAC countries should do business with. Many Bahamians have told me that The Bahamas has a long list of projects and looks forward to investment, concessional loans and development assistance grant from all parties to improve people’s livelihoods. Some countries have long been paying lip service, talking much but delivering little. Worse still, they seek to obstruct China’s cooperation efforts. Such behavior—“not doing it themselves, yet forbidding others to do it”—is nothing but hegemonic bullying, and it will win no hearts.
3. People-to-people exchanges deepen
Over the past decade, China-LAC cultural exchanges have become increasingly close, and people's mutual understanding and goodwill have improved. China has provided 17,000 government scholarships and 13,000 training opportunities in China to LAC; signed 26 education cooperation agreements or memorandums of understanding with 19 countries; and established 68 Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in 26 countries. China has included many LAC countries in the 240-hour transit visa exemption list. China-Bahamas visa exemption agreement came into effect in 2014, which has promoted exchanges between the peoples of the two countries.
The exchange of culture is the bond that connects the Chinese and LAC peoples. The Bahamian cultural treasure, the Jankanoo Parade, is loved by the Chinese. China's traditional culture, such as the Spring Festival, dragon boats, calligraphy, and kites, is increasingly popular among Bahamians. The exchange and mutual learning of different cultures have enhanced the mutual respect and in-depth understanding of each other's culture and laid a solid people-to-peole foundation for consolidating the China-LAC community with a shared future. Whether China-LAC relations and China-LAC cooperation benefit the people or is "malicious influence," the people know the best. It is doomed to fail in sowing discord between China and LAC.
4. The China-CELAC Forum has achieved fruitful results
Over the past ten years, the China-CELAC Forum has successfully held three ministerial meetings and more than 100 activities covering 31 sub-forums. Many sub-forums of the China-CELAC Forum have become the "golden signboard" of China-LAC cooperation: the China-CELAC Political Parties Forum has been held for four sessions, inviting nearly 2,000 LAC political party personnel to China to build a platform for exchanges on governance between the two sides; the China-CELAC Entrepreneurs Summit has been held for 17 sessions, constantly creating new growth points for cooperation such as new energy, photovoltaics, electric vehicles, digital technology, and cross-border e-commerce; the China-CELAC Infrastructure Forum has been held for 10 sessions, effectively enhancing the level of cooperation between China and LAC in traditional and new infrastructure fields. The then Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas Mr.Davis, and the then Minister of Works Mr. Sears, attended the forum. Many sub-forums actively explore new models and paths to achieve sustainable development between China and LAC.
Every bit of progress made in the 10 years since the China-CELAC Forum was officially launched has followed the principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit. They are all choices made independently by the people of China and LAC, and they all express the aspirations of the countries and peoples of LAC. China's cooperation with LAC is in line with both sides' fundamental and long-term interests and can stand the test of facts and history. The Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum will be a handshake across mountains and seas, a grand event for both sides. We have every reason to believe that the meeting will succeed.