From the southern tip of Argentina to Mexico, Chinese technology is helping boost productivity and raise standards of living with innovations in transportation, agriculture, renewable energy, e-commerce and other sectors.

by Xinhua writers Yan Liang, Shooka Shemirani

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 20  -- "I was surprised by the service," Chilean Cristobal Velasquez recently said of Chinese ride-hailing app Didi, which in a short time has gained a firm foothold in Latin America.

"While it's a relatively new app (here), it has spread quickly in (Chile's capital) Santiago and throughout the whole country," offering a "safe and economical" alternative to standard ride-sharing services, said Velasquez.

Didi is a prime example of the kind of technology-driven cooperation China is spearheading in Latin America today.

A driver of a trolley bus manufactured by Chinese company Yutong talks with a passenger in Mexico City, Mexico, on Jan. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei)

Andres Borquez, director of the Chinese Studies Center at the University of Chile, described Didi as the face of the "new wave" of Chinese cooperation in Latin America "based on the development of sophisticated products and services" to promote "the development of innovations and solutions for smart cities."

From the southern tip of Argentina to Mexico, Chinese technology is helping boost productivity and raise standards of living with innovations in transportation, agriculture, renewable energy, e-commerce and other sectors.