Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi in Beijing on Tuesday. The two leaders pledged to deepen cooperation in multiple areas and strengthen the alignment of their development strategies.

Orsi on Sunday began a week-long state visit to China. He is the first leader from Latin America to visit China in 2026, and his visit follows those of leaders from Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Canada, Finland and Britain.

"On this day 38 years ago, China and Uruguay established diplomatic relations," Xi said, pointing out that over the years, regardless of changes in the international situation, the two countries have always maintained relations on the basis of mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Xi called on both sides to carry forward their traditions and deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership under the new circumstances to make sure their friendship grows stronger and more vibrant.

Stressing that the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries is at its best time in history, Orsi said China is an important cooperation partner of Uruguay, and growing relations with China is now Uruguay's state policy, which has gained unanimous support from all political parties and across society.

Deepening China-Uruguay cooperation

Under the strategic leadership of the leaders of both countries, economic and trade cooperation between China and Uruguay has continued to expand in recent years. From a modest $124 million at the start of diplomatic relations, bilateral trade skyrocketed to $6.59 billion in 2024, a 24.4-percent year-on-year increase, according to the General Administration of Customs of China.

China has remained Uruguay's top trading partner for over a decade, serving as the primary destination for its soybeans and wool. However, the trade flow is no longer just one-way agricultural exports. Uruguay is rapidly becoming a hub for Chinese innovation. For instance, in 2025, one out of every three passenger vehicles sold in Uruguay was a Chinese new energy vehicle, according to the head of the industry association.

Noting that the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China had adopted the recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, outlining a blueprint for China's development over the next five years, Xi said it will offer broad opportunities for countries worldwide, including Uruguay.

He called for deepening cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, finance, agriculture and animal husbandry, infrastructure construction, and information and communications technology and urged efforts to explore the potential for cooperation in emerging fields like green development, digital economy, artificial intelligence and clean energy so as to drive economic growth and transformation.

The peoples of China and Uruguay share a natural affinity, Xi noted, adding the two sides should continue to deepen exchanges in areas like culture, education, sports, media, and subnational engagement and facilitate personnel exchanges to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two peoples.

For his part, Orsi said Uruguay aspires to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with China and bring bilateral cooperation to a higher level.

He called on both sides to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, science and technology, poverty alleviation, green economy, and digital economy and promote people-to-people exchanges in education, sports, tourism and other fields in order to inject stronger momentum into Uruguay-China relations and deliver greater benefits to the two peoples.

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of more than 10 cooperation documents covering investment, trade and other fields.

Promoting an equal, orderly multipolar world

In 2026, Uruguay serves as chair of three major multilateral organizations: the Group of 77 (G77) and China, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), aiming to use these platforms to promote regional integration and multilateralism.

Xi told Orsi that China supports Uruguay in taking over chairmanship of the G77 and China for the year 2026 and is willing to work with Uruguay to strengthen solidarity in the Global South, jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and work together to seek common development so as to make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Xi added that China has always valued its relations with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries and supports LAC countries in upholding their sovereignty, security and development interests.

China also supports Uruguay in assuming the rotating presidencies of the CELAC and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and stands ready to work with Uruguay and other regional countries to further promote the building of a China-LAC community with a shared future, Xi said.

Commending the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity proposed by Xi, Orsi said that facing the challenging international and regional situations, Uruguay stands ready to work with China to promote respect for the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, uphold multilateralism, safeguard the international trading system, further advance LAC-China relations and defend the common interests of the Global South.

(With input from Xinhua)