China plans to expand its visa-free policy for five Latin American/Caribbean countries and offer 3,500 scholarships and 10,000 training opportunities, as part of a five-program plan to advance shared development and revitalisation with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries.
President Xi Jinping announced these developments during a keynote speech at the opening of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing on May 13, 2025.
President Xi said as part of the People-to-People Connectivity Program, China has decided to offer a visa-free policy to five LAC countries, and will expand the policy to cover more regional countries in due course.
This is one of five programs targeted for LAC countries, ranging from solidarity, development and civilization to peace and people-to-people connectivity.
The People-to-People Connectivity Program also includes a three-year plan to provide CELAC member states with 3,500 government scholarships, 10,000 training opportunities in China, 500 International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarships, 300 training opportunities for poverty reduction professionals, and 1,000 funded placements through the Chinese Bridge program, initiate 300 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects, and support CELAC member states in developing Chinese language education.
On the Solidarity Program, Xi said China is willing to strengthen solidarity with LAC countries and continue to support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, to firmly safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, and to speak with one voice in international and regional affairs.
In the next three years, China will also invite 300 members from political parties of CELAC member states every year to visit China to facilitate exchanges on national governance best practices, Xi said.
On the Development Program, China is willing to work with LAC countries to implement the Global Development Initiative, resolutely uphold the multilateral trading system, ensure stable, unimpeded global industrial and supply chains, and promote an international environment of openness and cooperation, Xi said.
Noting that the two sides should foster greater synergy between their development strategies and expand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said China will import more quality products from LAC countries and encourage Chinese enterprises to expand their investment in the region.
Xi said the Civilization Program refers to the joint implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative. He said both sides should uphold the vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness between civilizations, champion humanity’s common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, and enhance China-LAC civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, including through a conference on China-LAC inter-civilizational dialogue.
As part of the Peace Program, Xi called for joint implementation of the Global Security Initiative. He said both sides should cooperate more closely in disaster governance, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, anti-corruption, narcotics control and combating transnational organized crime so as to safeguard security and stability in the region.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking at the plenary session of the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Latin America Forum, noted that over the past decade, China-Latin America strategic mutual trust has deepened.
He added that over the past decade over 80 per cent of its $35 billion financing package has been implemented within LAC countries, while the $20 billion China-Latin America infrastructure loan has been exceeded.
He said China intends to implement the RMB66 billion credit line announced by President Xi for development projects in Latin America, as well as assistance in disaster management capabilities, disaster prevention and mitigation.
He said:
“China is willing to work with Latin American countries to practice true multilateralism, adhere to extensive consultation, joint construction and sharing, lead global governance reform with the concepts of fairness, justice, openness and inclusiveness, jointly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, and continuously enhance the representation and voice of developing countries.”