Building a shared future through South-South cooperation

Editor's note: The Research Center on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity and the China National Association for International Studies co-hosted a forum in Beijing earlier this month. Speakers at the forum discussed China's approach to foreign relations, which they said is different from traditional Western frameworks, and called for further development of international relations theories to better explain China's pursuit of win-win cooperation and shared development. Below are excerpts from some of the speeches delivered at the forum.

Traditional theories fail to define China-LAC ties

The vision of building a community with a shared future between China and Latin American and the Caribbean countries is forging a new model of cooperation that is equal, independent, endogenous and sustainable.

Traditional paradigms such as dependency theory and the core-periphery model have failed to address the development challenges faced by LAC countries. Many industries in the region remain locked in the low-value segments of global value chains. Some countries are trapped in debt crises and the resource curse. Such situations have encouraged external interventions, disrupting the modernization of LAC countries.

The United States refuses to loosen its grip on the region. Developments in Venezuela and Cuba this year have laid bare the severe consequences of this grip. LAC countries have long been striving to explore independent development paths and pursue economic self-reliance.

To achieve this, regional countries need greater strategic autonomy and diversified international relations. However, relations with Western countries have restricted their autonomy. Western countries tend to attach strings to their cooperation with LAC countries, which has weakened the sovereignty of regional states.

Meanwhile, existing theories of international relations cannot explain the new model of cooperation between China and LAC countries. Concepts such as realism, hegemonism and geopolitics are incapable of interpreting the mutually beneficial and win-win nature of this cooperation.

They overlook the LAC countries' right to development and their autonomy. Hence, international relations theories need further development to accurately interpret the relationship between China and LAC states.

Going forward, China and LAC countries should further strengthen economic cooperation and consolidate political mutual trust.

Greater stability is needed in the relevant mechanisms to safeguard cooperation across all fields and reduce transaction costs.

It's also important to enhance people-to-people exchanges, as understanding between people is the most sincere, fundamental and enduring support for building a China-LAC community with a shared future.