President Xi Jinping meets with Uruguayan President Lacalle

On the afternoon of November 22nd, President Xi Jinping held talks with Uruguayan President Lacalle , who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Prior to the talks, President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for President Lacalle in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. （Xinhua/Liu Bin）

On the afternoon of November 22nd, President Xi Jinping held talks with Uruguayan President Lacalle, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People. The two heads of state announced the upgrade of China Uruguay relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

On the afternoon of November 22nd, President Xi Jinping held talks with Uruguayan President Lacalle, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. （Xinhua/Yue Yuewei）

President Xi Jinping pointed out that the year 2023 will mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Uruguay and the 5th anniversary of Uruguay's participation in the "the Belt and Road" initiative. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 35 years ago, the two countries have always adhered to mutual respect, equal treatment, and win-win cooperation, and exchanges and cooperation in various fields have flourished. In particular, in the face of the COVID-19, the two countries stood guard and helped each other to fight the epidemic with one heart, and China Uruguay strategic partnership was sublimated. China is willing to work with Uruguay to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership as a new starting point and coordinate, enhance the level of bilateral relations, enrich the connotation of bilateral cooperation, and build China Uruguay relations into a model of unity and cooperation between countries of different sizes, systems, and cultures, better serving the development of each country and enhancing the well-being of the two peoples.

President Xi Jinping introduced the connotation and significance of Chinese path to modernization, and expressed that China is willing to strengthen governance exchanges with Uruguay, enhance political mutual trust, share development opportunities, and promote the modernization of their respective countries and the world. The two sides should strengthen friendly exchanges and cooperation between legislative bodies, political parties and local governments, take the signing of the "Belt and Road" cooperation plan as an opportunity, strengthen the docking of development strategies, cultivate new momentum for cooperation in services trade, digital economy, clean energy and other fields, and promote China and Uruguay to jointly build the "Belt and Road" into a new stage of high-quality development. Welcome more high-quality agricultural and livestock products and high value-added products from Uruguay to enter the Chinese market, encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and start business in Uruguay, and hope that Uruguay will continue to provide a good business environment for Chinese enterprises. Both sides need to promote cultural, sports and other cultural exchanges, and create more convenient conditions for personnel exchanges between the two countries. China is willing to provide more scholarships to Uruguay.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Uruguay share similar concepts, broad consensus, and common interests on many international and regional issues. Both sides can further strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and make joint efforts to make the world a more peaceful, prosperous, and just place. China attaches great importance to the development of China Latin America relations, appreciates Uruguay's consistent and active participation in overall cooperation between China and Latin America, supports close political dialogue and economic and trade cooperation between regional organizations such as the Southern Common Market and China, and hopes that Uruguay will continue to promote China Latin America and China South Africa cooperation.

President Lacalle expressed his pleasure in leading an important cabinet and economic and trade delegation to visit China on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Uruguay and China. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Uruguay and China 35 years ago, the development of bilateral relations has always adhered to the principles of equality, respect, mutual benefit, and win-win results. The political mutual trust between the two sides is solid, and the continuous deepening of Uruguay China relations is a strong consensus among all sectors of society and the people of Uruguay. The Uruguayan government recognizes that there is only one China in the world, and peaceful reunification is China's internal affairs, which must be decided by the Chinese people themselves. Uruguay and China firmly defend multilateralism, uphold free trade, and are committed to promoting world peace and stability. The relationship between Uruguay and China has surpassed the field of economic and trade, showing a good trend of multi-dimensional and high-level development.Uruguay actively supports the joint construction of the "Belt and Road", endorses President Xi Jinping's global development initiative, global security initiative and global civilization initiative, hopes to strengthen cooperation in economy, trade, science and technology, sports, tourism and other fields, welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in Uruguay, supports the establishment of more Confucius Institutes in Uruguay, and promotes personnel exchanges and people to people and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Uruguay looks forward to accelerating the promotion of free trade cooperation with China, while promoting the Southern Common Market towards this goal. Uruguay is willing to play a positive role in promoting the development of Latin American China relations and the construction of the Latin American China Forum.

After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of the "Belt and Road" cooperation plan, and a number of bilateral cooperation documents in trade and investment, digital economy, green development, agriculture, health, education, culture, scientific and technological innovation, customs inspection and quarantine and other fields.

Prior to the talks, President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for President Lacalle in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

On the afternoon of November 22nd, President Xi Jinping held talks with Uruguayan President Lacalle, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Prior to the talks, President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for President Lacalle in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. （Xinhua/Li Xueren）

On the afternoon of November 22nd, President Xi Jinping held talks with Uruguayan President Lacalle, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Prior to the talks, President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for President Lacalle in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. （Xinhua/Yue Yuewei）

On the afternoon of November 22nd, President Xi Jinping held talks with Uruguayan President Lacalle, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Prior to the talks, President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for President Lacalle in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. （Xinhua/Ding Haitao）

21 salutes were fired at Tiananmen Square, and the salute soldiers lined up to pay tribute. The heads of state of the two countries boarded the inspection platform, and the military band played the national anthems of China and Ukraine. President Lacalle, accompanied by President Xi Jinping, reviewed the Chinese People's Liberation Army Honor Guard and watched the parade.

That evening, President Xi Jinping held a welcome banquet for President Lacalle in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

Wang Yi participated in the above activities.

During President Lacalle's visit to China, both sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Eastern Republic of Uruguay.