From November 8 to 22, Claudia Labarca, principal researcher at the ICLAC Millennium Nucleus and professor at the Faculty of Communications at UC participated in the Second Global South Think Tanks Meeting, organized by the Chinese government in Nanjing, China. Labarca joined a Latin American delegation composed of academics, diplomats, and key actors in the Latin America-China relationship, being the only Chilean and ICLAC representative in the delegation.
The event aimed to strengthen international cooperation and cultural exchange between China and Global South nations, including seminars and plenary sessions, where representatives from not only Latin America, but also Africa, Asia, and other developing regions gathered.
During her visit, the researcher had the opportunity to observe China's technological, industrial, and cultural advancements, in addition to participating in strategic meetings about the role of the Asian giant in Latin America.
Regarding China's foreign policy strategy, the academic emphasized that it is characterized by fostering closer ties through events like these: "These are soft power opportunities, moments of communication, occasions to showcase the country’s advancements, and to generate and increase connections. China is interested in these Global South countries to implement the Belt and Road Initiative."
On the other hand, concerning the opportunities and challenges for Chile in its relationship with China, the researcher noted that although Chile was a pioneer in establishing cooperation ties with China, new efforts must now be made to create relevant and mutually beneficial points of contact, so as not to "fall behind" in terms of collaboration with the country that is now its main trading partner.
"Everyone is looking at China, and we need to think of new ideas, new cooperations. Their participation as a guest country at Filsa 2024 was a gesture, but it’s not enough. I believe there are many more things we could start doing to strengthen these relations," she emphasized.
This is the sixth time Claudia Labarca has visited China, which has allowed her to observe the country's profound changes over recent years. Her experience reinforces the importance of generating continuous academic and cultural exchanges to consolidate the strategic relationship between Chile and China, particularly when other countries in the region are increasing their prominence in these alliances.