BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory message to the 10th summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), reaffirming Beijing’s commitment to strengthening ties with the region.

The summit opened on Saturday in Bogotá, Colombia, bringing together leaders from across Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss regional cooperation and development.

In his message, Xi said CELAC has played an important role since its establishment in pr

omoting peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region, while contributing to stronger unity and cooperation among countries of the Global South.

He highlighted progress in China-Latin America relations, noting that the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum held in Beijing last year marked a key step forward in bilateral engagement.

During that meeting, China and CELAC member states agreed to advance cooperation through five key programmes focusing on solidarity, development, cultural exchange, peace and people-to-people connectivity.

Xi said both sides have since worked closely to implement these initiatives, delivering tangible benefits to their populations and strengthening practical cooperation.

Reaffirming China’s position, Xi said Beijing would continue to support Latin American and Caribbean countries in safeguarding their sovereignty, security and development interests.

He also stressed China’s readiness to work with the region to uphold international fairness and justice, and to deepen collaboration under a shared development framework.

Colombia is currently holding the rotating presidency of CELAC.