The interest that exists in the Latin American region to deepen cooperation with China is absolutely growing, said Osvaldo Kasef, director of Economic Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, the ECLAC official said that "China is playing a role of increasing importance in the world," a fact that has been more and more taken into account on the other side of the world.

"So far the trade with China has been better taken advantage of by some countries better than others. The South American countries have benefited from trade with China where China is now the first, second or third export destination (to some of them)," he added.

He said 20 years ago, China was not among the top 20 destinations of exports from Latin American countries, and the current situation speaks of a huge growth potential.

In his view, China has been important to Latin America and the Caribbean in their fight against the global crisis.

Kacef said: "Furthermore, China has a key role today as it acquires products that the region produces, especially in South America, which means a very favorable trade for Latin Americans."

"Since China breaks into international markets increasingly, the commercial ties are becoming favorable for the region, which is better prepared today than 40 years ago to make benefit out of the emergence of a new world potential such as China."

The ECLAC expert said that South America has benefited from trade ties with China, but the case of Mexico and Central America is different due to a similarity of export structure concentrated in because manufactured goods and the strong competition from Chinese products in the U.S. market.

"Central American countries need a different kind of relationship with China through trade flows and increased presence of Chinese investment to enable them to retrain and continue to export and provide jobs for their people, without competing with China's development level."