Editor's Note: On July 22, Beijing time, Professor Chen Taotao, Director of the Tsinghua University Latin America Center, was invited by China's Ministry of Commerce to Macau to participate in the "7th China-LAC Infrastructure Cooperation Forum" hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce. Concurrently, she attended the "12th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum" jointly organized by the China International Contractors Association and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. During the forum, Professor Chen Taotao delivered a keynote speech titled "Building Consensus and Promoting New Development Through Innovation." She engaged in discussions with fellow attendees on how to better uphold green innovation to lead China-LAC cooperation and how to better identify, cultivate, and utilize new driving forces for infrastructure cooperation between China and Latin America.

The following is a transcript of the speech:

Good afternoon, everyone. The theme of today's conference is "Upholding Green Innovation, Jointly Promoting New Development in China-LAC Infrastructure Cooperation." In my view, whether there can be new development depends on whether we can innovate. And whether we can innovate hinges on whether we can further build consensus.

Compared to ten years ago, how has Chinese investment in Latin America changed? Ten years ago, most Chinese companies had limited understanding of Latin America's investment environment, particularly the mechanisms for infrastructure investment there. Meanwhile, at that time, the Latin American world was also not very familiar with the construction capabilities of Chinese companies. After ten years of development, the situation is different now. After this decade, I believe we have at least reached a basic consensus in two areas. First, Chinese enterprises investing in Latin America have become fairly familiar with the region's investment environment and infrastructure mechanisms. Through learning and appropriate localization strategies, they have adapted to investment there. Second, Chinese enterprises' investments in Latin America over these years have demonstrated to the region the capabilities of Chinese companies and financial institutions in infrastructure development. Examples like China Harbor's Jamaica Highway project and the Brazil's Belo Monte project, among others mentioned by Director Peng earlier, are excellent illustrations. In fact, during China's own three to four decades of reform and opening-up, its tremendous achievements in infrastructure have also drawn global attention. Although different countries have varying natural conditions, China's construction technologies and experience can, to a great extent, serve as a reference for other developing countries. Chinese companies with such capabilities can better serve developing nations, a point that has been fully proven.

Given that China's technology, experience, and capabilities can provide valuable service to developing countries, and with this consensus, how can we better leverage these advantages? This is precisely where we need to further build consensus, and promote progress through openness of thought, and innovation in action and organization.

Let me give an example. In 2019, I led a team of my PhD students to conduct a project for State Grid Brazil Holding. It offered many insights; I'll mention just one. How was State Grid's ultra-high voltage (UHV) project accepted in Brazil, and how was it implemented? A particularly important link is that within Brazil's electricity regulatory framework, there is an institution called the Brazilian Energy Research Center. This center is specifically responsible for selecting the most suitable technology for Brazil from the global market. State Grid Corporation presented its project to this very institution. I visited this center myself. It is very open, professional, and has reasonable selection criteria. After State Grid's presentation, and as per their request, the center gained a full understanding of China's UHV technology and its operational experience in China, ultimately leading to the technology's selection. Following selection, State Grid, along with other international companies capable of investing in UHV, participated in Brazil's bidding process for transmission industry investments according to established procedures, and successfully won the project.

What does this case illustrate? I believe it offers at least two key insights. From the host country's perspective, Brazil's openness in the electricity sector and its management approach are reasonable, which helps it acquire the world's most advanced technology. It also adheres to market economy principles. From China's and State Grid's perspective, by deeply understanding the operational system of the host country's industry, State Grid appropriately introduced its project to Brazil and, by following the host country's market rules, secured the project through bidding. I think these two points are important. Is it possible to generalize from this case and derive broader insights? I believe we need corresponding innovation. Both China and Latin American countries are developing nations. Looking at ourselves in the grand sweep of history, we are all constantly exploring, innovating, and changing. Based on this shared understanding, since we believe our experience and technology are valuable, why can't we more proactively introduce our experience to Latin American countries? Similarly, if our friends in Latin America also see value in China's experience, when you have needs or corresponding projects, can you also actively seek Chinese solutions? At the same time, both governmental agencies and non-profit organizations like the Tsinghua University Latin America Center can proactively build platforms to help everyone build consensus. This, I believe, is what I mean by openness of thought, and innovation in action and organization.

Friends from all sectors, this is an era of open development. Our mutual understanding and trust are continuously strengthening. We have the reason and the ability to further build consensus, to innovate in our thinking, actions, and organization. By moving closer to each other, we can strive for more opportunities for win-win development. Established in late 2018 in Santiago with the support of the Chile Foundation, the Tsinghua University Latin America Center is committed to working with Latin American universities and governments to build platforms, forge consensus, and promote new development in China's infrastructure investment in Latin America.

Thank you.