Consulate General of Colombia in Guangzhou holds Independence Day reception in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, on August 5, 2025. (Photo: Consulate General of Colombia in Guangzhou)
Colombia's Independence Day was celebrated in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province, on August 5 with a reception that brought together Colombian institutions and Chinese partners, highlighting bilateral friendship and future cooperation opportunities.
Speaking at the event, Zhang Hu, the executive vice governor of Guangdong Province, recalled his October 2024 visit to Colombia, where he attended the China (Guangdong)-Colombia Economic and Trade Exchange and Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area Promotion Conference, witnessing the signing of multiple cooperation agreements.
"I was deeply impressed by Colombia's breathtaking scenery and warm, hospitable people," Zhang said, noting that Guangdong-based companies such as Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, TP-Link, and Vivo have invested and operated in Colombia.
ProColombia, the country's official agency for tourism and foreign investment promotion, has also established an office in Guangzhou.
Trade between Guangdong and Colombia reached 23.58 billion yuan (about US$3.28 billion) in 2024, up 35 percent from the previous year. In May 2025, Colombia officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative, a move expected to create more opportunities for collaboration.
Zhang said Guangdong is pushing ahead with comprehensive reforms and high-level opening-up, advancing the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, building a modern industrial system, and promoting the province's role in Chinese modernization. These efforts, he said, will open new avenues for cooperation with Colombia in areas including trade, education, culture, tourism, new energy vehicles, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Colombia. In her remarks, Annie Maya, the consul general of Colombia in Guangzhou, said the two countries have long shared a path of respect, cooperation, and friendship, with bilateral cooperation flourishing and growing closer.
As one of the guest countries of honor at the upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, Colombia will present "the best of Colombia—coffee, flowers, green technology, innovation, and culture," Maya said.
"Colombia and China now walk together toward a more equitable, more human-centered, and more sustainable world," she added.
Reporter | Liu Xiaodi, Lin Ying (intern)
Editor | Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
