CECHAP participates in the International Seminar – Studies on Contemporary China of FLACSO General Secretariat
On May 29 and 30 in San Jose, Costa Rica, the International Seminar – Studies on Contemporary China was held, organized by FLACSO General Secretariat. In this event, the Associate Director of our Center, José Carlos Feliciano, participated as a panelist in the session on Trade and Economic Exchange. The aim of this session was to discuss the current dynamics of trade and exchange between China and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the evolution and opportunities of these relations.
The first day of the seminar featured distinguished guests such as representatives from diplomatic missions of FLACSO Member States, international organizations accredited in Costa Rica, university authorities, academics, and students from the region. The day began with an official ceremony and a keynote lecture by Dr. José Manuel Salazar-Xirinach, Executive Secretary of ECLAC, followed by a discussion panel with the participation of Mr. José María Figueres, President of Costa Rica from 1994-1998; Mr. Sergio Abreu, Secretary General of ALADI; and Dr. Rebecca Lemos, Individual Member Councillor of FLACSO.
The second day included sessions in academic panels covering topics such as Sustainability and Environment, the Chinese Global Security Initiative, Cultural and Educational Relations, and Trade and Economic Exchange. In the last panel, the Associate Director of the Center discussed the lessons and opportunities of the Chinese Digital Economy, sharing key aspects of the success of digitalization in China, the role of the state, trends, and how these can represent opportunities for businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The topics of reflection in the seminar also included the challenges of Latin America and the Caribbean, such as low economic growth over the past decade (0.8%), low institutional capacity, and limitations for social mobility in the region. In terms of cooperation with China, key sectors were identified that present both challenges and opportunities. For instance, despite significant growth in trade with China, only six types of products are nearly 70% of our region’s exports to China, highlighting the need for diversification, with food products being the most promising for diversification. In terms of infrastructure, China’s notable presence in the region includes 122 projects (2015-2021) that generated over 670,000 jobs. Chinese direct investment in the region has also evolved to new sectors such as automotive and energy.
Finally, the seminar identified numerous potential areas for cooperation. These include training and collaborative education, energy transition in our countries, electro-mobility, digital infrastructure, industrial capacity for manufacturing, among others.
