The 18th China-Latin America Business Summit Opened in Zhengzhou

ZHENGZHOU, China, Nov. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from China Trade News.

The 18th China–Latin America Business Summit opened in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, on November 3, under the theme "Embracing Innovation and Intelligence for a Shared Future."

The event was co-hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the People's Government of Henan Province, and the People's Bank of China, and organized by the China Chamber of International Commerce, the Henan Provincial Department of Commerce, the Henan Sub-Council of CCPIT, and the Zhengzhou Municipal People's Government.

Leaders from relevant national ministries, government officials and envoys from nearly 30 Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as representatives from international organizations, trade and investment promotion agencies, chambers of commerce, academia, and the business community attended the summit. Bringing together participants from both China and Latin America, the event fostered in-depth exchanges on economic and trade cooperation and shared opportunities for mutual development.

As China's first institutionalized economic and trade cooperation platform with Latin America, the China–Latin America Business Summit, launched in 2007, has become a flagship brand of practical cooperation between the two sides.

This year's summit, themed around innovation and intelligent development, highlighted the breadth and depth of China–LAC collaboration across multiple areas—from trade and investment, technological innovation, and green development to financial cooperation—while showcasing the vitality and openness of China's Central Plains in embracing the world.

China and Latin America, both representing developing countries and emerging economies, enjoy broad prospects for cooperation and strong complementarities. The partnership is evolving from traditional commodity trade toward technological innovation and industrial collaboration, achieving higher levels of quality and efficiency. Investment exchanges continue to expand, with notable outcomes in new energy, agricultural technology, and infrastructure.

This year's summit further consolidated traditional trade cooperation while exploring new frontiers in the green economy, digital economy, and smart manufacturing, contributing to the building of a closer China–Latin America community with a shared future.

The summit featured a comprehensive "1+1+4+5" program, including an opening ceremony, a plenary session, four thematic sub-forums, and five supporting activities, all designed to showcase Latin America's abundant natural resources and innovation potential.

Before the opening ceremony, Chinese state leaders met with distinguished Latin American guests and jointly toured the China–Latin America Image Exhibition. The opening and plenary sessions, attended by over 1,000 participants, witnessed the release of the Zhengzhou Initiative of the China–Latin America and Caribbean Business Community.

The four thematic sub-forums focused on China–Latin America cooperation in new energy vehicles (NEVs), intelligent equipment manufacturing, air cargo hubs and cross-border trade, and smart agriculture. Supporting events included the China–Latin America Innovation Cooperation Forum, the Roundtable of Trade Promotion Agencies and Chambers of Commerce, the China–Latin America Think Tank Dialogue, and business matchmaking meetings.

The summit also featured field visits, exhibitions highlighting national images of China and Latin American countries, and displays of intangible cultural heritage.
With fruitful outcomes, the event is expected to further advance cooperation in key sectors such as energy resources, infrastructure, and agriculture.

The successful convening of the 18th China–Latin America Business Summit not only marks another milestone in China–Latin America economic and trade cooperation but also serves as an important window for Henan Province's integration into the global economy.

In recent years, Zhengzhou has leveraged multiple open platforms—including the China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, and the Cross-Border E-Commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone—to advance high-level opening-up and build a new inland hub of openness.

At the banks of the Yellow River, Chinese and Latin American entrepreneurs gathered to discuss cooperation and envision shared development, building bridges of trade and friendship across continents and injecting fresh momentum into Central China's open economy.

From Latin America to the Central Plains, from trade to innovation, from conference halls to concrete projects, what connects the two sides is not only commerce but a shared commitment to win-win development.

Starting from Zhengzhou, the 18th China–Latin America Business Summit once again charts a new blueprint for China–Latin America cooperation, showcasing to the world the confidence and vitality of China's central region in its journey toward openness and modernization.

SOURCE China Trade News