Distinguished President David Garza, 

Dear Prof. Alejandro Poiré, 

Dear Prof. Azucena Rojas,

Dear guests and colleagues,

Buenos Días（早上好，音：布艾诺斯迪亚斯） in Latin America!

First of all, on behalf of Fudan University, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the invitation of Monterrey Tech to the 4th FLAUC Annual Meeting. It is truly an honor to stand among these outstanding universities, to address new thoughts to the FLAUC storyline, and to embrace a brighter future together in mutually beneficial transpacific relations.

Although separated by enormous distance, our civilization interaction could date back to the 16th century. Nowadays, despite the volatile international context, the broad consensus between China and Latin America still outlines a blueprint forpromoting common development to a higher degree. 

In the dimension of global governance, dialogues including the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Southern Common Market, and the Pacific Alliance have witnessed tangible progresses in tackling the world’s most critical issues. Currently, Mexico is holding the CELAC （音：塞拉克）rotating chairmanship. In the 3rd Ministers’ Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum at the end of last year, Chinese president Xi Jinping pointed out the forum as a major platform for pursuing mutual benefit. Likewise, the Belt and Road Initiative, with an integration of 21 countries in Latin America, is a collaborative endeavor both as a public good and a cooperation platform. 

And in the dimension of investment and trade, the ever-quickening reconstruction of the global value chain is accelerating sustainable and inclusive growth. China is the second largest trading partner of Latin America, and Latin America is demonstrating considerable investment attraction for Chinese companies. Today happens to be the last day of the 5thChina International Import Expo held in Shanghai. With 145 countries, regions and international organizations participating, including many Latin American entities, the Expo exhibits hundreds of new products, cutting-edge technologies and innovative services, and creates a healthy business climate and development incentive.

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico. With an ever-mounting scale of exchanges, now the two countries are developing towards a more balanced collaboration structure, by deepening and widening mutual engagements in energy, telecommunications, infrastructure, manufacturing, finance, culture and tourism. 

Following the burgeoning relationship between China and Latin America, Fudan University convened the FLAUC in 2017, which I am gratified to say that has grown up into one of Fudan’s most substantial platforms for tapping multilateral academic potentials. Profiting from the interdisciplinary resources and research expertise of our members and partners, we support the Idea Lab Program and FLAUC Fellow Program with a seed fund. Up to this year, 8 research projects have been developed on frontier issues such as investment and trade, technology transformation, higher education, poverty alleviation, and urban development. Hopefully, the scholar exchanges would be partially resumed next year. This year, we have sent 7 outstanding undergraduates to Monterrey Tech and National University of San Marcos. We have also accomplished multilingual achievements since 2019, including 27 books, 5 reports, 45 academic publications, and 21 media publications. Among these, we are particularly honored to have collaborated in the proceedings COVID-19 and Cities and Paths to Overcoming the Middle-income Trap with our host today, the Monterrey Tech. We sincerely hope that more world-leading wisdom can be delivered, with more eminent scholars to implant intellectual creativity to the consortium. 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

In the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, China and Latin American countries, all as developing economies, hold indispensable positions in the international scenario. Cooperation is an essential way to reinforce competitiveness and sustainable development. China is proposing initiatives to solve development divide and security dilemmas, and China’s rapid progress in innovation and industry is driving more momentum for global economic prosperity. 

Fudan University, undertaking the mission to build a world-class university with Chinese features, what we call “the first Fudan initiative”, advocates constantly the pursuit of innovation and growth drivers, and an open-minded internationalization with overseas partners. In recent years, we have set up the first Institute on Aging in China for interdisciplinary research in medicine, public health, and psychology; We have set up the MOE Laboratory for National Development and Intelligent Governance for research on governance and communication using technologies like AI and big data; We have also set up the Shanghai Research Institute for Energy and Carbon Neutrality Strategy, the Human Phenome Institute, etc. We are convinced that all these multi-disciplinary initiatives can forge a new solid ground for FLAUC, to cultivate inspirations in crucial issues and reinforce a sustainable academic community. 

Dear friends, 

To conclude, I’d like to return to the theme of the meeting, Transpacific Relations in Times of Uncertainty. During the past years, FLAUC has undergone great uncertainties caused by the dramatic transformation of international order and cooperation approaches. However, its innovative model of research-performing mechanism remains resilient and effective, thanks to the devotion of all our members and partners. As the old saying goes, crisis brings opportunity. FLAUC will keep on going and seize the opportunity to breed new breakthroughs and excellence. 

Once again, I would like to thank the host for their meticulous work in the organization. Thank all of you from premier universities and institutions across the globe for overcoming the time differences to be here. I believe that genuine fruits of ideas will bear here, and will be incubated into truly meaningful implementations to develop a new form of human advancement. 

Finally, wish this Meeting a great success! Thank you!