WACS Vice-President Cui Jianmin visits Argentina, Chile and Brazil for academic exchanges

Cui Jianmin, vice-president and secretary-general of the World Association for China Studies (WACS), led a delegation recently to visit Argentina, Chile, and Brazil to carry out academic exchange activities, at the invitation of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Universidad del Desarrollo, and the Rio de Janeiro State University.

Latin America has become an important participant in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with substantive progress and remarkable achievements achieved in cooperation between China and Latin America. As the relationship between the two sides continues to flourish, Chinese academic influences have also increased in many Latin American countries, with a growing number of China studies research institutions and leading experts and scholars.

On November 24, 2023, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the World Conference on China Studies - Shanghai Forum. This visit aims to establish a network of connections with Latin American China studies organizations and advance the prosperity of China studies in the region.

During the visit, the delegation visited the Universidad Nacional de La Plata and the Universidad de Buenos Aires in Argentina, where they had in-depth discussions with scholars on Chinese history and culture, and China studies. The delegation explored possibilities of formalizing the partnership by signing an MoU with the Institute of International Relations of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata.

WACS Vice-President Cui Jianmin visits Universidad Nacional de La Plata.

WACS Vice-President Cui Jianmin visits Universidad de Buenos Aires.

The delegation visited the Universidad del Desarrollo and the Universidad de Chile, and exchanged views on the history and current situation of China studies in Chile, as well as exchanges in humanities and social sciences between the two countries.

WACS Vice-President Cui Jianmin visits Universidad de Chile.

The delegation also had discussions with experts and scholars from the Universidade Federal Fluminense and Universidade de Brasília. In addition, the delegation had a discussion with representatives of Consulate-General of China in Rio De Janeiro on the development and trend of Chinese language education in Latin America in recent years, as well as the status of Latin American countries' participation in Belt and Road cooperation.

During the visit, the delegation had in-depth discussions and exchanges with Latin American scholars on China studies and Chinese modernization, and listened to Latin American scholars' detailed introduction on China studies. The participating academic institutions and their scholars recognized the significance of promoting China studies in Latin America and strengthening academic exchanges and cooperation between China and Latin America in building the China-Latin America community with a shared future. The scholars expressed their willingness to join the WACS and said they look forward to using it as a platform to further research on China studies.