国内英语新闻:China-Latin America cooperation based on common interests: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The cooperation between China and Latin America is based on common interests and mutual needs, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.

According to some media reports, a U.S. official said recently that China "is using economic statecraft to pull the region into its orbit."

In response to this, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the allegation was entirely against the truth and displayed disrespect to the vast number of Latin American countries.

Both as developing countries, China and the Latin American countries are facing common tasks of development and their win-win cooperation is based on equality, reciprocity, openness and inclusiveness, said the spokesperson.

"China is a major international buyer of Latin American bulk commodities, and imports more and more agricultural and high value-added products from the region," Hua said, adding that China's investment in and financial cooperation with Latin American countries are in full accordance with commercial rules and local laws and regulations.

According to Hua, the second ministerial meeting for the China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Forum held last month passed three outcome documents, which showed a high degree of consensus by Latin American countries on deepening cooperation with China.

"The development of China-Latin America ties does not target or reject any third party, nor does it affect the interests of third parties in Latin America," Hua said, urging relevant countries to abandon outdated concept of zero-sum game and look at the development of China-Latin America relations in an open and inclusive manner.