Beverage, new-energy vehicle sectors highlight strong complementarity

<article><section data-type="rtext"><img data-alt="Aerial view of Nansha Port in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province. Guangzhou launched its first direct shipping route to the west coast of South America, connecting Nansha Port with key ports in Latin America, on April 29, 2025. Photo: VCG" src="//img.huanqiucdn.cn/dp/api/files/imageDir/7d0f6b7dbfe7ed3de46dfe9747ee5e9d.jpg?imageView2/2/w/750" />Chinese and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) businesses are actively exploring opportunities to deepen cooperation, as they engaged in exchanges at a slew of business events in Beijing and signed several new cooperation deals on the sidelines of a major meeting between China and LAC countries. The fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum was held in Beijing on Tuesday. Alongside the forum, several business-focused conferences were also held, including the Chile-China Entrepreneurs Summit and the China-Brazil Business Forum, where government officials and business leaders explored opportunities to deepen collaboration. Among the business deals, Chinese beverage company Mixue Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) on Monday, marking further cooperation in market distribution and supply chain operations, Beijing News reported on Tuesday. According to the MoU, Mixue plans to further increase the share of Brazilian agricultural products in its supply chain, including but not limited to green coffee beans and fruit products, which are among Brazil's key exports. ApexBrasil will provide the necessary support for Mixue's business operations and retail market expansion in Brazil. According to a representative of the beverage company, it plans to invest in the procurement of Brazilian agricultural products — including coffee beans — worth no less than 4 billion yuan ($560 million) over the next three to five years. The initiative is expected to create about 25,000 jobs. Chinese bus manufacturer Yutong is also expanding its presence in Latin America. According to a statement the company shared with the Global Times on Tuesday, it recently delivered 60 trolleybuses to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. The cooperation not only provides a more efficient mode of transportation for more than 2 million residents but also supports the city's transition to green energy. Since beginning its expansion into the Latin American market in 2005, Yutong has achieved large-scale sales and stable operations in more than 20 regional markets, including Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Jamaica. To date, the company has more than 28,000 buses in operation across Latin America, making it one of the leading Chinese bus brands in the region, according to the statement. The complementary nature of relations between China and Latin America has deep roots, primarily reflected in their trade structures and long history of interaction, Tang Jie, a researcher at the Institute of American and Oceanian Studies at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Latin America is one of the most important destinations for China's foreign investment in the developing world, Tang said, noting that the recent signing of multiple cooperation agreements between Chinese and Latin American businesses exemplified the deepening bilateral economic and trade ties. As Chinese companies expand their presence in Latin American countries, the Chinese market has also become a key strategic destination for many businesses from the region, providing substantial opportunities for development and growth. Bimbo, a Mexican multinational food company, has been steadily expanding its footprint in China. Since entering the market 18 years ago, the brand has extended its operations to more than 113 cities, supported by a sales network of more than 25,000 outlets, according to media reports. In a recent interview with the Global Times, Victor Cadena, executive vice president of the Mexican Chamber for Commerce in China, said that Mexican businesses remain positive about the Chinese market and Chinese businesses. Closer business ties are reflected in the steady growth of bilateral trade, which has strengthened over the years. Trade between China and LAC countries exceeded $500 billion for the first time in 2024, which was more than 40 times that of the beginning of this century, according to Xinhua. Investment and trade ties are expected to expand across a wide range of sectors. Tang said that Latin American countries have a strong demand for Chinese technology and investment, while their products such as Chilean cherries and Brazilian beef have a vast market in China. "China-Latin America trade is still dominated by raw materials such as agricultural products, minerals and electromechanical products... However, the areas of cooperation are extending to high value-added links, such as new energy, high-end manufacturing and digital services, among others," Tang said.</section></article>

Chinese and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) businesses are actively exploring opportunities to deepen cooperation, as they engaged in exchanges at a slew of business events in Beijing and signed several new cooperation deals on the sidelines of a major meeting between China and LAC countries.

The fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum was held in Beijing on Tuesday. Alongside the forum, several business-focused conferences were also held, including the Chile-China Entrepreneurs Summit and the China-Brazil Business Forum, where government officials and business leaders explored opportunities to deepen collaboration.

Among the business deals, Chinese beverage company Mixue Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) on Monday, marking further cooperation in market distribution and supply chain operations, Beijing News reported on Tuesday.

According to the MoU, Mixue plans to further increase the share of Brazilian agricultural products in its supply chain, including but not limited to green coffee beans and fruit products, which are among Brazil's key exports. ApexBrasil will provide the necessary support for Mixue's business operations and retail market expansion in Brazil.

According to a representative of the beverage company, it plans to invest in the procurement of Brazilian agricultural products — including coffee beans — worth no less than 4 billion yuan ($560 million) over the next three to five years. The initiative is expected to create about 25,000 jobs.

Chinese bus manufacturer Yutong is also expanding its presence in Latin America. According to a statement the company shared with the Global Times on Tuesday, it recently delivered 60 trolleybuses to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. The cooperation not only provides a more efficient mode of transportation for more than 2 million residents but also supports the city's transition to green energy.

Since beginning its expansion into the Latin American market in 2005, Yutong has achieved large-scale sales and stable operations in more than 20 regional markets, including Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Jamaica. To date, the company has more than 28,000 buses in operation across Latin America, making it one of the leading Chinese bus brands in the region, according to the statement.

The complementary nature of relations between China and Latin America has deep roots, primarily reflected in their trade structures and long history of interaction, Tang Jie, a researcher at the Institute of American and Oceanian Studies at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Latin America is one of the most important destinations for China's foreign investment in the developing world, Tang said, noting that the recent signing of multiple cooperation agreements between Chinese and Latin American businesses exemplified the deepening bilateral economic and trade ties.

As Chinese companies expand their presence in Latin American countries, the Chinese market has also become a key strategic destination for many businesses from the region, providing substantial opportunities for development and growth.

Bimbo, a Mexican multinational food company, has been steadily expanding its footprint in China. Since entering the market 18 years ago, the brand has extended its operations to more than 113 cities, supported by a sales network of more than 25,000 outlets, according to media reports.

In a recent interview with the Global Times, Victor Cadena, executive vice president of the Mexican Chamber for Commerce in China, said that Mexican businesses remain positive about the Chinese market and Chinese businesses.

Closer business ties are reflected in the steady growth of bilateral trade, which has strengthened over the years. Trade between China and LAC countries exceeded $500 billion for the first time in 2024, which was more than 40 times that of the beginning of this century, according to Xinhua.

Investment and trade ties are expected to expand across a wide range of sectors. Tang said that Latin American countries have a strong demand for Chinese technology and investment, while their products such as Chilean cherries and Brazilian beef have a vast market in China.

"China-Latin America trade is still dominated by raw materials such as agricultural products, minerals and electromechanical products... However, the areas of cooperation are extending to high value-added links, such as new energy, high-end manufacturing and digital services, among others," Tang said.