GREATER SOLIDARITY, BIGGER VOICE

As part of the Year of the Snake celebrations, Brazilian soprano Marilia Vargas gave a moving performance of the Chinese song "I Love You, China" at Rio de Janeiro's Municipal Theater. Dressed in a flowing red gown, her voice echoed powerfully throughout the hall.

Vargas, who has learned many Chinese songs in recent years, said her bond with China has deepened alongside the growth of the China-CELAC Forum. "Since the forum's foundation, many more opportunities for cultural exchange between LAC countries and China have opened up."

She told Xinhua that in the future, she will continue to "explore more Chinese musical treasures" and remain dedicated to advancing cultural exchanges between China and Brazil as well as between China and other LAC countries.

Over the past decade, cultural exchanges under the China-CELAC Forum have flourished. Joint archaeological projects have yielded substantial results, the number of exchange students has steadily increased, and interest in the Chinese language continues to surge across LAC countries.

"Mutual respect, diversity, knowledge and understanding" were the words used by Rogelio Rivero, Mexican archaeologist and director of the Archaeological Zone of Teotihuacan, to describe his experience in the cultural exchanges and dialogues held in China.

Rivero believes that LAC countries, by strengthening cultural exchanges with China and other Global South countries, will effectively contribute to breaking with "Western-centrism" and balancing unilateral narratives at the global level.