Chinese premier meets with Uruguayan president

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay Yamandu Orsi in Beijing on Tuesday.

Li said that since China and Uruguay established a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2023, bilateral cooperation across all sectors has accelerated, yielding a series of fruitful results.

Following the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China stands ready to work with Uruguay to provide firm mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests, actively share opportunities on the path of common development, enhance practical and mutually beneficial cooperation, and deliver greater benefits to the people of the two countries, he said.

China is set to continue adhering to openness and win-win cooperation with Uruguay. It is also willing to enhance the alignment of their development strategies and market connectivity, tap into their deep cooperation potential across various fields, further leverage their complementary advantages, and bring about more practical achievements, he added.

He urged both sides to utilize existing mechanisms, including the economic and trade mixed committee, to expand the scale and optimize the structure of bilateral trade, promote sci-tech and industrial innovation, cultivate new development drivers, and expand cooperation in artificial intelligence, the green economy, digital technology and biomedicine.

China is ready to import more high-quality Uruguayan products and encourage competitive Chinese enterprises to invest in Uruguay, and hopes that Uruguay will continue providing a favorable business environment for enterprises, Li said. He added that both sides should also enhance cooperation in areas such as culture, sports, youth and tourism, and continuously deepen their mutual understanding and friendship.

He noted that China fully supports Uruguay in its rotating presidencies of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), and in chairing the Group of 77 and China for 2026.

China will maintain close multilateral communication and coordination with Uruguay to safeguard multilateralism and free trade, defend the common interests of the Global South, and uphold international order, fairness and justice, Li said.

Orsi said that Uruguay adheres firmly to the one-China principle, looks forward to close exchange and dialogue with China at all levels, actively participates in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and is deepening exchange and cooperation in various fields to bring improved benefits to the people of both countries.

Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest and establish businesses in Uruguay, Orsi said. Uruguay is a firm supporter of the global initiatives China has proposed, and is willing to work with China to strengthen multilateral coordination and safeguard multilateralism.

Uruguay is also ready to play an active role in promoting cooperation between Mercosur and China, he added.