This photo shows the first China-Latin American and Caribbean States Space Cooperation Forum in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, April 24, 2024. The forum kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

A delegation of diplomatic envoys, agency representatives and journalists from 25 Latin American and Caribbean countries visited central China's Hubei Province from April 22 to 25. They were attending the first forum on space cooperation between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, held in Wuhan, the provincial capital.

China and Latin American and Caribbean countries have carried out long-term, comprehensive and practical cooperation on space, covering space infrastructure, deep space exploration, space science, the space industrial chain, the global governance of outer space and personnel training.

"Space cooperation between China and Argentina has become increasingly close in recent years. Chinese spacecraft once carried the Argentine flag to travel in space, and Argentina's deep space observatory also provided strong technical support for China's lunar exploration project," said Marcelo Suarez Salvia, ambassador of Argentina to China.

The delegation visited several upstream and downstream new energy vehicle (NEV) factories in the cities of Xiangyang and Wuhan. Members of the delegation enthusiastically tested a variety of NEVs at Voyah Automobile Technology Co., Ltd.

Aldonov Frankeko Alvarez, ambassador of El Salvador to China, said the trip was "highly intelligent and modern."

"In a very short period of time, we have witnessed the assembly process of a vehicle from parts to the final shape, which is amazing. From here, we see the strength and determination of technological innovation in China's auto industry," he said.

In addition to smart cars, Hubei has also built smart roads with the assistance of the internet of vehicles. In an internet of vehicles pilot area operation center in Xiangyang, real-time traffic conditions, potential road hazards at more than 400 traffic intersections in the city's central area, and traffic carbon emissions data are displayed on a large screen, and real-time intelligent traffic light scheduling can also be realized.

"Very impressive. I mean, I must say, I myself was a computer science student, and I would have done some studies on internet of things and these type of applications. So seeing them in real life now, in my role as an ambassador, definitely gives me ideas of the technology sharing that we can have in China," said Hallam Henry, ambassador of Barbados to China.

"In 2020, we purchased over 30 electric buses from Geely, and that gave us the largest electric buses in the English-speaking Caribbean for sure. And there's been very good reviews. And the key component of that is the fact that the electric bus is silent and of course they would have gotten air conditioned, with the accessibility options to be very comfortable and convenient for our people," Henry added.

Anyin Choo, Guyana's ambassador to China, said, "I don't think it's fair to say there's an overcapacity in China. I think that with the development in technology and improvement of products over time, there is always the need for consumers to have upgrades in whatever they're using. Competition provides more options for consumers, and I'm sure that consumers will benefit from that."

Pick Fung Ho-Chong, ambassador of Suriname to China, was impressed by smart agricultural technologies when she visited farm fields operated by a local agricultural technology company.

She expressed the wish to cooperate with Hubei enterprises to introduce smart agricultural technology to Suriname.

The development of science and technology cannot be achieved without the support of talent. As a major province for science and education in China, Hubei has 92 universities and 1.3 million students in Wuhan alone, and many come from Latin American and Caribbean countries.

After a meeting with students from China and Latin American and Caribbean countries at Hubei University, Michael Campbell, ambassador of Nicaragua to China, said he hopes that international students will assume the responsibility of being cultural exchange envoys, and promote cultural interaction and exchanges between Latin America and China.

Upon his departure, Fernando Lugris, Uruguayan ambassador to China and head of the delegation, said that the group has seen the resilience of China's economic growth through Hubei, and believes that China will continue to be the engine of global economic growth in the future.