Beijing, 23 November 2023 (TDI): On Wednesday, President of China, Xi Jinping and Uruguayan President Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou met in Beijing and agreed to upgrade their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Xi noted that this year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Uruguay, as well as the fifth anniversary of Uruguay’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
He said that the two countries have maintained mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation in various fields of exchange and collaboration over the past 35 years.
He also praised the two countries for supporting each other and working together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has enhanced the China-Uruguay strategic partnership.
Xi expressed his willingness to work with Uruguay to use the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership as a new starting point and to coordinate efforts to improve the quality of bilateral relations.
He said that this would enrich the content of cooperation between the two countries and make China-Uruguay relations a model of solidarity and cooperation among countries with different sizes, systems, and cultures.
Moreover he also emphasized that the goal is to better serve the development of both countries and improve the welfare of their people.
He stressed the need to strengthen political mutual trust, share development opportunities and jointly advance the modernization of each country and the world.
He said that both sides should cooperate and exchange views on legislative, political party and local levels, and use the signing of the Belt and Road cooperation plan as a chance to align their development strategies.
China welcomes more high-quality agricultural and livestock products, as well as high value-added products from Uruguay, supports Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in Uruguay, and hopes that Uruguay will keep providing a favorable business environment for Chinese companies, he said.
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He mentioned that China and Uruguay have similar opinions on many international and regional issues, with a lot of agreement and common interests.
He said that both sides can enhance their coordination and cooperation in multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
He appreciated that this joint effort aims to help make the world more peaceful, prosperous, and fair. China attaches great importance to the development of China-Latin America relations and is grateful for Uruguay’s consistent and active involvement in the overall cooperation between China and Latin America, Xi said.
Lacalle Pou said he was delighted to lead a significant cabinet and trade delegation to visit China on the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Uruguay and China.
He said that the Uruguayan government acknowledges that there is only one China, and respects China’s peaceful reunification as an internal matter for the Chinese people to decide.
Both Uruguay and China are firm supporters of multilateralism, champions of free trade, and are dedicated to promoting world peace and stability, he added.
He emphasized that the relationship between Uruguay and China has gone beyond the economic and trade fields, showing a positive trend of multidimensional and high-level development.
He said that Uruguay actively backs the joint building of the BRI, and agrees with Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative proposed by Xi and Uruguay hopes to enhance cooperation in economic, technological, sports, and tourism fields.
Uruguay welcomes more Chinese companies to invest and operate in Uruguay, supports the setting up of more Confucius Institutes in Uruguay, and aims to facilitate people-to-people exchanges and cultural interactions between the two countries, Lacalle Pou said.
After the talks, the two presidents jointly witnessed the signing of the Belt and Road cooperation plan.
They also signed bilateral cooperation agreements covering sectors such as trade and investment, the digital economy, green development, agriculture, health, education, culture, technological innovation, and customs inspection and quarantine.
