The president said that at the meeting “we advanced on a work agenda that includes the BRICS, export of Bolivian products to the Chinese market, investments, lithium, and other issues for the benefit of our peoples.”

The meeting was attended by Minister of the Presidency María Nela Prada; Minister of Productive Development Néstor Huanca; Minister of Development Planning Sergio Cusicanqui; and the delegation headed by the Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen.

With 23 million tons of lithium, Bolivia is consolidating its position as the largest holder of certified reserves in the world.

In 2023, the Russian company Uranium One Group and the Chinese company Citic Guoan signed agreements to install industrial lithium carbonate production plants in the Uyuni and Pastos Grandes salt flats, in the department of Potosí, with an investment of 1.4 billion dollars.

Based on the agreements, the construction and installation of two lithium carbonate production plants of 50 thousand tons per year was projected, using DLE (Direct Lithium Extraction) technology.

The Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy classifies Citic Guoan as the first Chinese company to venture into the Direct Lithium Extraction technology from raw brine, and describes it as a leader in the management of EDL technology, battery manufacturing and electric cars.

Additionally, the Ministry highlighted that the firm has a scientific research force that allowed it to build, in just nine months in 2022, the largest DLE production plant in the world, which reached assets of approximately two trillion dollars.

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