SEOUL, October 11 (AJP) – China’s Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Jin Zhuanglong, met with Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo on Thursday in Beijing. They discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in industry and information technology, as shared by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on their WeChat account.
Murillo’s four-day visit to China began on Wednesday. This visit comes as China deepens trade and economic ties with various Latin American nations. Experts believe the meeting shows Colombia’s strong interest in boosting economic and technological cooperation with China, and more agreements could follow in areas like new-energy vehicles (NEVs), green energy, and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as traditional sectors.
Jin noted the significant potential for cooperation between China and Colombia, especially in areas like NEVs, clean energy, information and communications, and mining. He said China is ready to work with Colombia to implement the agreements reached by their leaders, strengthen partnerships between companies, universities, and research institutions, and promote practical cooperation to support the China-Colombia strategic partnership.
Murillo stressed that Colombia values its strategic partnership with China and is eager to enhance policy coordination and technological exchange in industry and information technology. He also welcomed Chinese investment in Colombia to push forward industrial cooperation.
China is working on developing new productive forces, while Colombia’s economic policies focus heavily on technological innovation. This creates great potential for South-South cooperation, especially in the technology sector, according to Jiang Shixue, a professor at the Center for Latin American Studies at Shanghai University.
Colombia urgently needs to boost its emerging technology sectors for economic growth, and China, with its advanced technology, experience, and cost advantages, is well-positioned to help, said Pan Deng, director of the Latin American and Caribbean Region Law Center at China University of Political Science and Law. This cooperation is a good example of how developing countries can enhance their technological self-reliance through South-South partnerships.
Observers expect the visit will lead to more agreements in sectors like NEVs, green energy, and AI. Additionally, both countries could reach deals to boost Colombian agricultural exports to China. For example, Colombian avocados, approved for export to China in 2021, have been well-received, and Colombian beef was approved for export last year.
China and Colombia have long had complementary economies, making them natural trade partners. China is now Colombia’s second-largest trading partner, and Colombia is China’s fifth-largest trading partner in Latin America. In 2022, trade between the two countries grew by 13.4 percent to $22.64 billion, according to Guangming Daily.
