On September 25, 2018 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the sixth round of Dialogue of Foreign Ministers of China and the Quartet of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda of El Salvador, the CELAC current rotating presidency, Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado of the Dominican Republic, the former rotating presidency, Foreign Minister Diego Pary Rodríguez of Bolivia, the incoming rotating presidency, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson-Smith of Jamaica, the current rotating presidency of the Caribbean Community, attended the dialogue. The dialogue was also attended by representatives of other member states of the CELAC.

Wang Yi first congratulated Foreign Ministers of El Salvador and the Dominican Republic on their participation in the dialogue with a new status as foreign ministers of countries establishing diplomatic relations with China. Wang Yi said that the Chinese side has always viewed relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries from a strategic height and long-term perspective, and promoted China-Latin America cooperation in line with the principle of equality and mutual benefit, and common development. Over the past 5 years, President Xi Jinping has visited Latin America for 3 times and met with almost all the leaders of Latin American countries establishing diplomatic relations with China, advancing the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and Latin America to a new phase of the development. The cooperation between China and Latin America in various fields has developed vigorously and formed an all-round, multi-level and three-dimensional cooperation pattern. The positive contributions China has made to the development of Latin American and the Caribbean region are there for all to see, and the integration of interests between China and Latin America will be further deepened.

Wang Yi said the China-CELAC Forum has become a major platform for overall cooperation between China and the CELAC after 3 years' development, providing strong support for the building of the community with a shared future between China and the CELAC. The Chinese side stands ready to work with the CELAC side to jointly promote the further deepening of the overall cooperation between the two sides. First, we should lead cooperation with political consensus, constantly improve mutual understanding, firmly support the core interests and major concerns of each other, take a firmer position against unilateralism and trade protectionism, support multilateralism and free trade system, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries as well as emerging economies. Second, we should optimize cooperation with practical actions, accelerate the alignment of development strategies, and deepen practical cooperation in various fields. We should lead the Belt and Road Initiative to the stage of practical implementation in Latin America, promote the cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative to achieve fruitful results in a larger scale in Latin America, and break new ground of cooperation featuring broader areas, greater structure and better quality. Third, we should boost cooperation with people-to-people bonds, and enhance cooperation in such fields as education, science and technology, culture, youth, tourism, media and health. Fourth, we should optimize the mechanism of the forum to guarantee cooperation. We should well utilize the existing forum mechanism and constantly perfect the internal construction to ensure the high-efficiency and high-quality operation of the forum.

Wang Yi said that the next year marks the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the China-CELAC Forum. The Chinese side looks forward to taking it as an opportunity to work together with the CELAC side to continue making the forum yield tangible and practical outcomes, thus contributing to the development of China-CELAC relations with higher quality.

Foreign ministers of the CELAC present in the dialogue said that the CELAC countries have been committed to promoting CELAC-China relations and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides. China is a comprehensive cooperative partner of the CELAC. The two sides have established their relations on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, openness, and mutual respect without any political conditions attached. Both the CELAC and China adhere to multilateralism. Against the current international situation, the two sides should expand the integration of interests and make joint efforts to tackle global challenges, which will bring greater well-being to people of both sides. The CELAC side is willing to work together with the Chinese side to well implement the achievements of the second ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum and expand cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, poverty reduction, innovation and infrastructure construction. The CELAC side thanks the Chinese side for proposing the great Belt and Road Initiative and incorporating the CELAC into the construction and cooperation of the Belt and Road Initiative, which will bring tangible benefits to both sides. The Dialogue of Foreign Ministers of China and the Quartet of the CELAC is conducive to promoting the integration of development strategies of the CELAC and China and promoting mutual assistance between the two sides. The CELAC side is willing to deepen dialogue and coordination between the two sides. Jamaica, on behalf of the English-speaking Caribbean countries, reiterated their adherence to the one-China policy.