Remarks of Amb. Luis D. Monsalve at CCG’s Pacific Alliance Event
December 13 , 2021
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Pacific Alliance. On Dec 13, CCG hosted public lecture series featuring the Pacific Alliance ambassadors – H.E. Luis Diego Monsalve, Ambassador of Colombia to China, H.E. Jesus Seade, Ambassador of Mexico to China, H.E. Luis Quesada, Ambassador of Peru to China and H.E. Luis Schmidt, Ambassador of Chile to China, on the future development of PA and prospects of China-PA cooperation.
The Pacific Alliance (PA) is a regional trade bloc launched in 2011 that includes Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru as well as 59 observer states. With a combined population of 230 million, a per capita GDP of USD19,000, the Alliance is now the 8th largest exporter in the world. China is a key trading partner of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) as China-LAC trade grew 26-fold over the last two decades and expected to more than double by 2035.
A special address was made by H.E. Luis Diego Monsalve, Ambassador of Colombia to China.
Full text of his remarks is as below:
Introduction of the Pacific Alliance and its objectives
Dear friends,
It is a great pleasure to share with you today to introduce with my colleagues the Ambassadors from Mexico, Peru, and Chile, one of the most successful and innovative regional integration processes in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific Alliance!
This regional integration mechanism was established in April 2011 and formally constituted on June 6, 2012, with the signing of the Framework Agreement. Since then, the Pacific Alliance oversees a deep integration process, which is innovative, flexible, and strongly projected to the world with clear and pragmatic goals that we will discuss ahead.
We call ourselves a Deep integration for prosperity!
Accordingly, our main objectives are to BUILD an area of deep integration to progressively advance towards the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people.
At the same time, we are eager to PROMOTE better and inclusive growth, development, and competitiveness of the economies of its Member States to achieve greater wellbeing for its citizens.
We look forward to BECOME a platform for economic, commercial integration and projection to the world through our four economies, with particular emphasis on the Asia Pacific, as one of the most important regions worldwide.
Additionally, the Pacific Alliance?s agenda seeks to surpass the commercial sphere to strengthen joint and coordinated actions between the promotion agencies and cooperation entities aimed at strengthening competitiveness and innovation, for example, of our SMEs.
In the same direction, nowadays, climate change is one of the most significant challenges for the world. Therefore, the Pacific Alliance wants to develop and promote research on this area, thus facilitating environmental development.
Moreover, in terms of education, we are strengthening technical-professional and technological education, scholarships, as well as encouraging academic and students exchanges.
In a context as challenging as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Pacific Alliance managed to create a joint work plan to reduce the impact on the citizens and economies of the four countries. For example, we launched joint promotion activities that will impact around 2,500 companies to support economic recovery and promote e-commerce, trade in services, foreign direct investment, and sustainable tourism.
2021 is an important year for us, as it marks our 10th Anniversary. I am honored that Colombia assumed the pro tempore presidency this year.
After one decade, we are proud to highlight that the Pacific Alliance has 59 observer states worldwide, with six candidates for Associated State, and cooperation relations with regional blocs from different continents.
For instance, China played an important role as an observer. Recently, during the official event for the 10th Anniversary, State Counsellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, sent us a congratulatory video.
On behalf of the Pacific Alliance we want to express our willingness to strengthen our cooperation with China as an strategic partner and create joint strategies to foster economic growth and sustainable development.
Thank you very much.
