In order to seize new opportunities between China and Latin American countries, stimulate the possibility that the market offers, deepen economic and cultural exchanges and consolidate cooperation, the World Chilli Alliance and Chongqing government delegation conducted an in-depth visit to and investigation in Latin America from December 8^th to 16^th.

At the invitation of Chongqing government, the World Chilli Alliance participated in the 13^th China-LAC Business Summit held in Panama City from December 9^th to 11^th. The conference was co-sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Panama, the Panama Tourism Bureau and the Inter-American Development Bank to explore a series of discussions aimed to deepen the international cooperation of "One Belt One Road" and achieve a shared prosperity between China and Latin America.

China-LAC Business Summit

China-LAC Business Summit is China's first institutional platform for promoting economic and trade cooperation in Latin America. It was launched in November 2007 and held once a year in turn in China and Latin America. Since its establishment, it has been successfully held for 12 times. It has been highly valued and actively participated by governments and businesses of both China and Latin America.

On the morning of September 9^th, the opening ceremony of the summit officially marked the start oft he event, with the opening remarks made by representatives of the two governments and various entrepreneurs, including the President of Panama Mr Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, the vice chairman of 13^th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Mr Liu Qibao, the vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Mr Lu Pengqi and the Minister of Commerce and Industries of Panama Mr Ramon Martinez De La Guardia. The President of Panama Laurentino Cortizo Cohen said that the Sino-Latin American economy has strong complementarity and great potential for cooperation. Under the BRI Initiative, the Sino Latin American trade and economic cooperation will continue tob e further deepened.

The summit also hosted a saries of trade and investment promotion activities such as business matchmaking, China-Latin America trade promotion agencies and business associations, round table discussions, signing ceremonies for China-Latin America cooperation projects, China-Latin America investment and trade exhibitions. We will continue to explore in-depth the dialogue between China and Latin America in areas such as infrastructure, finance and trade, and services for the development of the small and medium enterprises, so as to promote the prosperity and stable development of China-Latin America cooperation.

At the summit, the World Chilli Alliance had the opportunity to have exchanges on chilli pepper with local governments, associations and entrepreneurs, and talked about the vision of the Alliance in linking the world by means of chilli pepper.

At the same time, Gianluca Luisi, Secretary General of the World Chilli Alliance and Zhao Hua, Director of Dezhuang, exchanged their views with the Minister of Commerce and Industries of Panama, Ramon Martinez, and discoursed about how to enter Latin American market through Panama's investment policies, local industries and logistics.

Latin American Economic and Trade Promotion Conference

During the summit, the Vice Secretary General of Chongqing Municipal Committee Mr Wang Kuiwan led a delegation to attend the Latin American Economic and Trade Promotion Conference. Mr Wang introduced Chongqing's tourism, food and culture to all participants on site, with a special focus on Chongqing's hotpot. He said that he was proud of Chongqing enterprises.

As brand leader of Chongqing hotpot, WCA Gold Chilli Member Dezhuang Group has always been committed to promoting the global development of Chinese food culture, and has independently developed a variety of hotpot bases and seasonings. At this meeting, the World Chilli Alliance (WCA) and Dezhuang International showed the products of Dezhuang to the public.

The Alliance not only showed the products of Dezhuang but also introduced the hot sauces made by its Silver Chilli Member ChinEAT. Gianluca Luisi, Secretary General of WCA and also Founder of ChinEAT, said that more people should learn about Chinese food, "Li's Spicy Degree" and the "Taste China 2.0".

China (Chongqing)-Mexico Economic, Trade, Culture and Tourism Exchange

During the trip in Latin America, the World Chilli Alliance and the government delegation visited the representative office of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in Mexico and attended the seminar held there. At the seminar, the Alliance learned more about trade and investment cooperation between China and Mexico as well as potential collaboration in the chilli pepper industry in the future.

China (Chongqing)-Mexico Cultural and Tourism Exchange Meeting

The World Chilli Alliance was also invited to participate in the China (Chongqing) - Mexico Economic, Trade, Culture and Tourism Exchange Meeting held in Mexico City on December 13^th. The event was co-sponsored by the Chongqing Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade.

The meeting was also attended by government representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy of Mexico, the Vice Secretary General of Chongqing Municipal Committee Wang Kuiwan, the President of Chongqing Council for the Promotion of International Trade He Yi, the Deputy Director of Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism and other enterprise representatives.

Gianluca Luisi, Secretary General of WCA, gave a speech introducing Dezhuang hotpot, affirming that Dezhuang hotpot is nowadays famous around the world and that the products have 6 kinds of spicy degrees. Dezhuang hotpot is the brand leader in the hotpot industry in China and abroad, and embodies the real essence of Chongqing cuisine.

Chongqing is not only a city full of mountains and rivers, but also a "hotpot city". As an essential part of Chongqing hot pot, the chilli pepper is the bond which connects the World Chilli Alliance and Chongqing. The World Chilli Alliance believes that the chilli is the ideal means which can create an international exchange platform able to bring people together from all over the world.

The visit to Latin America was not only a business trip but also a journey to discover the opportunities offered by the encounter among people belonging to different cultures. We would like to thank Chongqing Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the International Chamber of Commerce for the arrangement of WCA participation in the China-Lac Business Summit and for support given to us in our mission of create a global community of chilli’s stakeholders.