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| Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets with Uruguayan Vice President and President of the Congress Danilo Astori in Montevideo, Uruguay, June 23, 2012. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) |
MONTEVIDEO, June 23 (Xinhua) -- China and Uruguay pledged Saturday to foster their trade ties and to step up bilateral exchanges between the two nations' legislative bodies.
Chinese Primer Wen Jiabao arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Friday for an official visit after attending the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and a visit to the meeting's host Brazil.
While meeting with Uruguayan Vice President Danilo Astori, who is also president of the Senate, Wen said Uruguay has enjoyed political stability and sustainable economic and social advancement, and played a unique role in international and regional affairs over the recent years.
Bilateral ties, based on solid political foundation, has seen a rapid growth over the past 24 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two sides, said Wen.
China has become the second largest trade partner of Uruguay, Wen said, adding that bilateral trade and economic cooperation has already extended from the traditional commodity to automobile manufacturing, communications, financial and agriculture.
China, Wen said, is ready to maintain balanced and sustainable trade links with Uruguay, adding that China hopes to engage with the South American nation's deepwater port construction, expand investment in the country, and step up research and development cooperation, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Astori said his country will firmly adhere to the one-China policy, while at the same time to strengthen political mutual trust, and boost cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, logistics, and culture, adding that the Uruguayan parliament is willing to enhance its exchanges and cooperation with China's National People's Congress (NPC).
