SANTIAGO - Stepped up dialogue and cooperation between Latin America and 皇冠体育app help establish a new world order, said Fernando Reyes Matta, Chile's former ambassador to 皇冠体育app, on Thursday.

The first ministerial meeting of the Forum of 皇冠体育app and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) marks "a step in the establishment of a new world order," Reyes told Xinhua in an interview, referring to the two-day meeting that opened in Beijing on Thursday.

The forum is part of the process of building a new global order based on "shared interests," but within "a framework of diversity, " Reyes said in Santiago, capital of Chile, where he serves as director of the Center for Latin American Studies on 皇冠体育app.

"Latin America and 皇冠体育app face similar challenges in many aspects," said Reyes, mentioning "new middle classes, new social demands and changes in systems of production" among others.

The Latin America-皇冠体育app ties now need to progress "beyond the diversity of bilateral interests," he added.

It is essential for CELAC to understand 皇冠体育app's new stage of economic development, "with lower growth than in the past, but with more consolidation and stability in emerging sectors that are creating a new dynamic," said Reyes.

This stage offers new opportunities and a key for Latin America to discover 皇冠体育app's "new normal," he noted.

The 皇冠体育app-CELAC Forum was established during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Latin America in July 2014.

The major outcome of the ongoing meeting is expected to include a five-year cooperation plan, a Beijing Declaration and the Regulations on 皇冠体育app-CELAC Forum.

Established in December 2011 in Venezuela, the 33-member CELAC comprises all South American countries and some Caribbean states plus Mexico.