Chinese President to attend fourth ministerial meeting of China-CELAC Forum

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend and deliver a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing on May 13, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Sunday.

As agreed by China and CELAC, the meeting will be held in Beijing on May 13, and will be chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to the spokesperson.

Foreign ministers or representatives from CELAC countries, and heads of relevant regional organizations will attend the meeting, said the spokesperson.

The First Ministerial Meeting of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (China-CELAC) in Beijing on January 8, 2015. (Photo by ROLEX DELA PENA / POOL / AFP)

Currently, the CELAC is an informal multilateral mechanism that lacks a permanent seat and the formal characteristics of an international body.

The continuation of institutionalized dialogues suggests that Beijing is still interested in formalizing the CELAC, whose role is seen as complementary to other forums such as APEC, G20, and the BRICS.