CHINA VOWS EFFORTS ON BUILDING CHINA-CELAC FORUM

Beijing, April 3 (Xinhua)- China yesterday vowed joint efforts with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean states (CELAC) to establish a China-CELAC ministerial-level forum.

Speaking ahead of the China visit this week of a leading group of the CELAC, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that the forum will be the core of the cooperation mechanism being worked on by China and CELAC.

The CELAC "Quartet" will make an official visit to China today and Friday. The Quartet comprises the current rotating chair of the CELAC, its previous rotating chair and its next rotating chair -Costa Rica, Cuba and Ecuador, respectively- as well as representatives from the Caribbean Community.

The visitors will include Costa Rican Foreign Minister Enrique Castillo, Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno, and Ecuadorian Deputy Foreign Minister Leonardo Arizaga, according to Hong.

During the visit, Chinese leaders will meet with the delegation and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold talks with them.

"China attaches great importance to developing ties with the CELAC," Hong said, applauding the development of relations between the two sides.

The two sides have established a regular dialogue mechanism between foreign ministers and agreed to jointly push forward the establishment of a comprehensive cooperation mechanism centered on the China-CELAC forum, according to the spokesman.

China will work with the CELAC to actively build the forum and make it a platform for promoting their comprehensive cooperative partnership, which features equality, mutual benefit and common development, so as to better safeguard their common interests and promote world and regional peace, stability and development, he said.

The delegation is invited by Wang Yi, and will be led by Enrique Castillo.

The CELAC, established in December 2011 in Caracas, Venezuela, comprises 33 countries of the western hemisphere with the exception of the United States and Canada.

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