This is Zhao Zheng's fifth year teaching at the Confucius Institute of Ricardo Palma University in Lima, Peru. "The food, the people, the mix of culture, and my students. I don't even feel like this is a job," Zhao told CGTN, explaining how much he likes his life in Latin America.

During his years in Lima, Zhao said he has witnessed a growing "Chinese presence," whether through more Chinese nationals traveling to the region or more Chinese companies carrying out infrastructure projects. With the imminent inauguration of Chancay Port, in which a Chinese company holds a 60 percent stake, Latin America and China are expected to see another round of growth in trade.

According to official data, the new port is expected to cut the time taken to transport cargo across the Pacific from 35 days to 23 and costs by 30 percent.