On June 23 and 25 local time, the Global Times held its "Overseas China Week" events in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with a photo exhibition titled "Moving forward together across mountains and seas: a decade of China-LAC sustainable cooperation," in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The photo exhibition drew widespread attention and positive feedback from various sectors in the two countries.
The exhibition's opening ceremony was held on June 23 local time at the Ibero-American Center for Research in Science, Technology, and Innovation in Buenos Aires. Global Times President and Editor-in-Chief Fan Zhengwei, Chinese Ambassador to Argentina Wang Wei, former Argentine Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Daniel Filmus, and former Argentine Defense and Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana jointly cut the ribbon.

The ceremony was witnessed by Chinese nationals based in Argentina, locals, business leaders, and other distinguished guests.
In his speech, Fan said that the event marked a celebration of China-LAC friendship and provided a new platform for sharing governance experiences and strengthening cooperation in sustainable development. Over the past decade, China and LAC countries have worked hand in hand across great distances to contribute touching stories of cooperation in the field of sustainable development, all for the shared goal of protecting humanity's common home.

The photo exhibition this time featured three sections - "Green lifestyle," "Green production," and "Green cooperation." It presented China's achievements in green mobility, clean energy, and ecological governance through photographs, media layouts, and curated exhibits. It also highlighted areas in which China-LAC cooperation has flourished, such as new energy, electric vehicles, satellite remote sensing, and agricultural technologies.

"From shared bikes on the streets of Beijing to self-driving Chinese e-bikes attracting crowds in Brazil, and from clean energy breakthroughs at the Baihetan hydropower station in Southwest China to low-carbon soybean oil produced in Argentina's Timbúes, the photos - taken by Chinese photographers, Chinese enterprises with deep cooperation with Latin America, and selected from the Global Times' own features - not only illustrate green cooperation achievements, but also capture the vivid journey of building a shared future," Fan said.
The exhibition coincided with a key milestone in China-LAC relations. The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China-CELAC Forum. In May, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the forum, where he said that China and Latin America are advancing hand in hand as a community with a shared future and announced that the two sides would jointly launch five programs of solidarity, development, civilization, peace and people-to-people connectivity, which provided clear direction for building a China-Latin America community with a shared future in the new stage.

Moreover, the 17th BRICS Summit will be held in July in Rio de Janeiro, and COP30 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is scheduled for November in Brazil.

"I'm very pleased to visit this photo exhibition organized by the Global Times," said Taiana. "It's a rare opportunity for the people of Buenos Aires to get to know many aspects of China, including its technological achievements, historical heritage, and beautiful natural landscapes. The exhibition offers a great overview and will hopefully spark curiosity to learn more about China and even visit the country in the future," he said.

Speaking on the prospects of China-LAC cooperation, Taiana said, "China is a world leader in renewable energy and environmental protection, while Latin America is home to critical biodiversity resources. China can play a leading role in promoting sustainable energy development, helping Latin America build a more sustainable development model and lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty."
Carolina Mera, a professor at the University of Buenos Aires, told the Global Times that she was deeply impressed by how Chinese technologies were being applied in agriculture and environmental protection. "This is an important inspiration for South America," Mera said. "We should enhance environmental cooperation and learn from China's experience. Argentina also has technologies worth sharing. That's why strengthening China-LAC cooperation is crucial."

During the event, the Global Times Institute signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ibero-American Center for Research in Science, Technology, and Innovation to jointly promote technological exchange and build a closer China-LAC community with a shared future.

On June 25 local time, the photo exhibition was moved to Brazil where it was held in Rio de Janeiro alongside the Global South Dialogue: Roundtable Forum of China-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries, attracting guests from government, academia, environmental groups, businesses, and the media.

The venue was filled with energy as visitors showed strong interest in themes such as agricultural mechanization in West China, China-Brazil technological cooperation, and urban ecological governance. Exhibition-related cultural and creative products were also well received by the visitors.

Many attendees told the Global Times that the exhibition helped deepen their understanding of the tangible foundation and great potential of China-LAC green cooperation.

Monica Bruckmann, a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said after visiting the exhibition, "We were pleasantly surprised by these photos. China's progress in industrialization and green energy is impressive. Through these images, we can truly feel the country's efforts."

"Seeing China's real advances in green energy, especially in solar power, is so important," Bruckmann noted, stressing that being able to witness these developments through visual media was profoundly meaningful.

"Both Brazil and China have vast natural resources, and an energy transition is vital for both nations. Moreover, China possesses advanced technologies," Bruckmann said. "As BRICS members, establishing strategic cooperation between the two nations is essential for advancing the global agenda."

Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, a professor at Fluminense Federal University in Brazil, was especially moved by a photo showing Beijing residents cycling down Chang'an Avenue at night. "It reminded me of my days in Beijing," he said. Carvalho believes that Beijing is a microcosm of China - seamlessly blending the past, present, and future while advancing steadily on the path of sustainable development.
During the exhibition events in Argentina and Brazil, many overseas Chinese told the Global Times that the images on display were valuable records and hoped they can be preserved locally for a long time. "We hope to see more exhibitions like this coming to Latin America to promote China's green development philosophy and bridge the information gap between domestic and international audiences," said one oversea Chinese in Argentina.

At two photo exhibition events, the heartfelt messages left by visitors in the guest books also served as vivid testaments to the friendship between China and Latin America: "Thank you, Global Times, for supporting the friendship and cooperation among peoples of different countries. Together, we long for a more united and just world." "It is an honor to see this platform promote mutual understanding and friendship between South America and China." "We will always be friends." The messages convey the deep appreciation for China-Latin America exchanges and also reflect the longing for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Previously, the Global Times "Overseas China Week" event had held similar photo exhibitions and promotional events in Germany and Kazakhstan, using images and visual storytelling to present China's green development philosophy and international cooperation achievements, making China's role in global low-carbon development visible and tangible to the world.

Liu Jialong contributed this story

When asked to comment on a UK report which alleged that Chinese spying has risen in recent years and Foreign Minister David Lammy has told parliament that his administration is investing US$800 million into the investigation as a result, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Wednesday reaffirmed China's steadfast commitment to the path of peaceful development. "China never poses a threat to any country, nor dose it interfere in other countries' internal affairs," Guo stated.

"Both China and the UK are permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies in the world. To grow bilateral ties and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation is in the interest of the two countries and the rest of the world," said Guo at a regular press briefing on Wednesday.

"China stands ready to grow its ties with the UK based on mutual respect and proper management of the differences, but we never accept any smear or groundless accusation," Guo noted.   

The Defense Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states was held in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on Thursday. Both the group photo featuring participating parties and the group visit to the site of the 2018 SCO summit drew the attention of global media. The fact that defense ministers from 10 countries gathered to discuss regional issues and reached a consensus, especially against the backdrop of frequent regional conflicts, demonstrates their shared desire to pursue cooperation and seek development, experts told the Global Times.

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun hosted the meeting and delivered remarks, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

At a time when the international situation is intertwined with chaos and change, it is particularly important for the SCO to play the role of a stabilizing anchor, said Dong. 

He noted that China is willing to work together with all member states to uphold the original aspirations of the SCO and promote the "Shanghai Spirit," firmly defend international fairness and justice, jointly address security challenges, and promote the steady and long-term development of defense and security cooperation in moves to provide stronger support for building a shared home featuring solidarity, mutual trust, peace, prosperity, development, good neighborliness and friendship, as well as fairness and justice.

All participating parties unanimously agreed to continue to strengthen strategic communication, promote practical cooperation, and work together to maintain regional peace and stability. The meeting was a complete success, according to the Xinhua report.

Zhang Chi, a military affairs expert at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), told the Global Times at the sidelines of the meeting that the remarks by the Chinese side showed vision, responsibility, and action.

Zhang Chi said that the Chinese side emphasized that the SCO is open and inclusive, upholding solidarity, mutual trust, shared security, consensus-building through dialogue, and close coordination, with the goal of building an SCO community with a shared future. The Chinese side also stressed that the SCO will serve as a stabilizing anchor amid a turbulent and complex international landscape, with member states working together to safeguard regional peace and stability. China is committed to advancing practical cooperation alongside fellow SCO member states. 

The meeting was attended by defense ministers from all 10 SCO member states, including India, Pakistan, and Iran, which have recently gone through conflicts. Through the discussions, all parties reached a consensus, agreeing to further strengthen strategic communication, advance practical cooperation, and jointly uphold regional peace and stability. Zhang said that this vividly exemplifies the "Shanghai Spirit," a spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and pursuit of common development, thereby continuously advancing the building of an SCO community with a shared future.

The Global Times reporters also met many colleagues from other media outlets at the meeting, some of whom had also attended the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Since 2002, the Shangri-La Dialogue has become the biggest defense and security forum in the Asia-Pacific region, but many people have noted the differences between these two important events: the Shangri-La Dialogue was highly confrontational, while the SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting was full of friendly trust.

Zhang Chi, who has participated in five editions of the Shangri-La Dialogue, said that it is an international conference led by the US and Western countries that often intentionally hypes some sensitive and disputed issues, and even sets traps to attack attendees. By comparison, the SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting gives all parties full respect and hosts friendly conversations and talks.

Another difference is that the US and Western countries often trigger confrontation at some international conferences, which leads to a deterioration of global and regional tensions. The SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting, however, advocates the safeguarding of regional peace and stability, the strengthening of strategic communication and promotion of pragmatic cooperation, which provides positive energy for the peaceful development of the world.

Briefing the media at a regular press conference on Thursday, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson at China's Ministry of National Defense, said that China is the rotating chair of the SCO this year, and hosting the Defense Minister's Meeting is an important part of its duties.

Throughout the process of the establishment and development of the SCO, defense and security cooperation has played an especially significant role. The Chinese side has actively promoted strategic communication, deepened substantive cooperation, and initiated many cooperation programs, Zhang Xiaogang said. 

"United in cooperation, our journey will be long and steady. The Chinese military will work with militaries of other SCO member states to carry forward the 'Shanghai Spirit,' further broaden and deepen defense cooperation, and join hands in building a common home featuring solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice, thereby contributing to building a community with a shared future for mankind," said the spokesperson.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that an important mission of the SCO is jointly countering terrorism, separatism and extremism, as these forces threaten all countries' national security as well as peace and stability in various regions. He stressed that the SCO is not a military alliance, nor does it target a third party, but an organization that boosts cooperation.

SCO member states are influential countries that play crucial roles in safeguarding regional peace and stability. The stronger they are, the more helpful they will be in playing such roles, Song said.