President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay Yamandu Orsi arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a state visit to China from February 1 to 7.

This marks President Orsi's first state visit to China since taking office in 2025, making him the first Latin American leader to visit the country in 2026.

He is accompanied by a delegation comprising Uruguayan government officials as well as representatives from businesses and chambers of commerce.

During the visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold talks with him for an in-depth exchange of views on deepening the China-Uruguay comprehensive strategic partnership, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Located in southeastern South America, Uruguay has a well-developed agricultural and livestock sector. China and Uruguay established diplomatic relations in February 1988. In November 2023, the two countries announced the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership. Following President Orsi's election in 2024, President Xi sent a congratulatory message at the earliest opportunity and dispatched a special envoy to attend the presidential inauguration. President Orsi also met with the Chinese envoy, underscoring the high level of bilateral relations.

In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, political mutual trust between China and Uruguay has continued to deepen, while cooperation across various fields has advanced steadily. China has remained Uruguay's largest trading partner for more than a decade and is the biggest market for Uruguayan exports. China mainly imports beef, soybeans and pulp from Uruguay, while exporting products such as electric vehicles and electronic goods.

Commenting on President Orsi's visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun earlier said that China hopes the visit will play a positive role in further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership.