Latin America open for cooperation with China in newenergy industries

There is huge opportunity for cooperation with China in the new-energy sector in Latin America, and the region is open for corresponding Chinese technology and products, Héctor Villagrán-Cepeda, former minister of transport and public works of Ecuador, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

The remarks came amid rising protectionism by the US-led West against China’s new-energy products, with the new-energy vehicle (NEV) sector being a main target, over so-called overcapacity claims.

Despite challenges from third parties, Villagrán-Cepeda said that the relationship and cooperation between China and Latin America “will not be affected due to the strong will and determination of our common regions.”

Villagrán-Cepeda praised the costeffectiveness of Chinese new-energy sector and called for greater cooperation between China and Latin American countries in the field.

The possibility of cooperation between China and Latin America is a great step toward world peace and understanding, he said.

“Our region for the past 500 years has been on a constant quest to find a scientific path for development. Chinese development policies are a hope for industrial development and a way to start knowledge-based economies in the region,” he said.

“The time is now to deepen the relationship with mutual benefit for both China, with its high-technology development, and Latin America, with its abundant natural resources, in the important task of environmental protection,” Villagrán-Cepeda further noted.

Moreover, as Villagrán-Cepeda noted, Latin America is an important source of the natural resources that are needed for the development of new-energy products with Chinese technology.