Xi's trip ushers in new chapter for China-Latin American relations (2)

Meanwhile, China and Latin America are also facing common challenges during their development.

Rural-urban migration, sustainable development, environment protection and the widening wealth gap have been or are on the two sides' agenda.

According to the Global Competitiveness Index 2012-2013, China and most Latin American countries are in a development stage of "efficiency-driven" or in a transition stage of "efficiency-driven to innovation-driven."

China and Latin America do not simply surf the wave. They can learn from each other and help each other in the long run, making joint efforts to keep integrated into the value chain of global production.

It is eye-catching that the high-level exchanges between China and Latin America have been more frequent since the Chinese leadership transition. China-Latin American relations are an integral part of the Chinese government's overall diplomatic balance.

China and Latin America are inseparable in South-South cooperation. Both sides have exchanged views and supported each other on a variety of issues through world-class platforms like APEC, BRICS, G-20 summits and the newly set-up Latin America panel at the Boao Forum for Asia.

President Xi and other Chinese leaders have noted recently that China is ready to promote the establishment of the China-Latin America Cooperation Forum as a better platform to deepen the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and the region.

Xi is the first Chinese president to visit Trinidad and Tobago and English-speaking Caribbean countries, and the second to visit Costa Rica. During his visits, Xi also met with leaders of several more nations in the region, including Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica.

The Chinese's president's visits are sure to bring new momentum and turn over a new page for China-Latin American relations.

Given the significant positions of Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Mexico in the Caribbean, Central America and Latin America, the visits are sure to set examples for the development of bilateral ties between China and other countries in the region.