The establishment ceremony for the South America branch of Shanghai FTZ's Belt and Road Technology Exchange International Cooperation Center is held on May 8. [Photo/pdnews]

In a move to enhance international cooperation, the South America branch of the Belt and Road Technology Exchange International Cooperation Center was officially established by the China (Shanghai) Free Trade Zone on May 8.

The Latin American region is a natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, with 22 out of 26 countries having signed Belt and Road agreements with China. This new subcenter aims to facilitate technical cooperation between China and Latin American countries, providing a platform for quality Chinese products to enter South American markets more efficiently.

Director of the China Quality Certification Center Liu Jiang highlighted that the South America branch will strengthen technical cooperation between China and technical organizations in countries like Brazil, Chile, and Peru. This cooperation is set to align technical standards and regulations that will facilitate exports.

The subcenter is also expected to promote information sharing between inspection and certification institutions in Shanghai's Pudong New Area and South American countries. This work will help enterprises from the Yangtze River Delta region access the Latin American market more effectively. Deputy Mayor of Pudong Lyu Xuecheng emphasized that this move aligns with the vision of promoting openness to drive the development of new quality productive forces. These efforts will also position Pudong as a key player in the Belt and Road Initiative, thus fostering international cooperation and trade.

The Belt and Road Technology Exchange International Cooperation Center was established in Pudong in 2018. Its goal was to foster connections with global certification systems and aid enterprises in overcoming technical trade barriers. From 2019 to 2023, it set up subcenters in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Central Asia. The Center has assisted many companies in obtaining certificates (such as SASO, GCC and PSE) and facilitated exports to various countries.