BEIJING — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on May 20 elaborated on China's position and views on developing relations with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in phone conversations with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Holguin and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada.

Although China and LAC countries are far apart, they share broad common interests and have always supported and helped each other, Wang said, noting that their cooperation is South-South cooperation featuring mutual benefit and win-win results.

China attaches great importance to the unique influence of Uruguay, Ecuador and Nicaragua in regional affairs and appreciates their contributions to the development of relations between China and the LAC countries, Wang said.

China hopes to deepen practical cooperation in various fields and push relations with the LAC countries to a higher level, he added.

Expressing opposition to some countries' stubborn Cold War mindset and their attempts to split the international community through ideological confrontation, Wang said cooperation between China and Latin America is based on equality and mutual benefit without any geopolitical consideration, which does not target or seek to replace anyone and should be free from interference by third parties.

From the perspective of jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind, President Xi Jinping has put forward the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, offering China's solutions on global development and security, which have been warmly received by more than 100 countries including those in Latin America and the Caribbean, Wang said.

In the face of various global challenges in the post-pandemic era, China and the LAC countries should jointly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms governing international relations, and earnestly safeguard their sovereignty, security and development interests.

China is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the LAC countries in international and multilateral affairs, jointly hold high the banner of multilateralism, promote international solidarity and cooperation, and inject more energy into the complex and ever-changing international situation, Wang said.