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SELA consolidates from Caracas as a strategic bridge for China-region cooperation

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), based in Caracas, has agreed with Chinese authorities on mechanisms to channel productive investments and technological development into Venezuela and other member countries.
  • This agreement was reached during the III Development Forum in Zhengzhou, China, where SELA emphasized leveraging China's strengths for regional economic recovery and social well-being.
  • The collaboration aims to integrate Latin American and Caribbean economies into global value chains, moving beyond raw material exports, and focuses on digitalization and infrastructure modernization for 2026-2029.

The Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), headquartered in Caracas, has solidified its strategic role as a bridge for cooperation with China, agreeing on mechanisms to direct productive investments and technological development towards Venezuela and its member states. The accord was finalized during the III Development Forum held in Zhengzhou, China.

Ambassador Lesly David, SELA's permanent secretary, highlighted the importance of harnessing China's capabilities to foster economic recovery and enhance social well-being across the region. The forum, co-organized by SELA and the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, identified strategic opportunities in productive investment, infrastructure, and renewable energy projects. The overarching goal is to integrate Latin American and Caribbean economies into global value chains, shifting away from the traditional model of solely exporting raw materials.

"Our region possesses strategic resources, while China has technology, capital, and logistics. We need to combine our respective strengths to create greater value and achieve mutually beneficial results," Ambassador David stated during his address. This bilateral engagement gains significance following the record-breaking bilateral trade between China and Latin America and the Caribbean, which reached $549 billion in 2025.

SELA's strategic work plan for 2026-2029 prioritizes digital transformation and infrastructure modernization. These initiatives are designed to bolster the region's competitiveness and resilience against global challenges, aligning with multilateral consensus. The plan aims to move beyond the exclusive export of raw materials, fostering deeper integration into global value chains through strategic investments in key sectors.

Our region possesses strategic resources, while China has technology, capital, and logistics. We need to combine our respective strengths to create greater value and achieve mutually beneficial results.

— Ambassador Lesly DavidAmbassador Lesly David's statement on the synergy between Latin America and China during the III Development Forum.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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