Chinese leaders' Latin American tours boost bilateral strategic co-op

BUENOS AIRES, March 6 (Chinese media) -- Some Latin American

diplomats and scholars have spoken highly of Chinese leaders' recent tour of the

region, saying their visits will boost the strategic cooperation between China

and the Latin American countries.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Vice Premier

Hui Liangyu paid separate official visits to Latin America countries in

February, the beginning of the Chinese lunar new year.

The Chinese leaders' visits to the region are of

great significance to promote China-Latin America relations, said Gustavo

Gerardo, chairman of the Asia-Argentina Association.

As a major trade and investment power, China is

playing an increasingly important role in the global economy, he said.

The Chinese and Latin American economies are highly

complementary to each other. Primary products produced by Latin American

countries for export to China help maintain China's economic stability and

growth. Meanwhile, China's investment and commodities have strong appeal to

Latin American countries, he added.

China has strengthened its economic cooperation with

Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Peru and Argentina in recent years. It has also forged

strategic partnership with an increasing number of countries in the region,

Gerardo noted.

Amid the global economic downturn, enhanced

consultation between leaders of the two sides will help them better tackle the

ongoing financial crisis, Gerardo said.

Prospects for bilateral cooperation between China and

Latin America will be even greater, he said.

Gustavo Cruz, a diplomat with Ecuadorian embassy in

Uruguay, said Ecuador and China reached a host of key agreements during Hui's

visit to Ecuador last month.

Cruz said he saw vast prospects for cooperation

between Ecuador and China in many areas such as energy and mining.

The Ecuadorian government values its relations with

China. High-level exchanges between Ecuador and China will help the two sides

broaden consensus, narrow differences and push bilateral ties to new heights, he

said.

Eduardo Oviedo, an expert on Chinese affairs in the

National University of Rosario, noted that several Chinese leaders have paid

successive visits to the region following President Hu Jintao's successful Latin

American tour last year.

It shows China's interest in strengthening ties with

Latin American countries, which is of great significance to consolidate

bilateral strategic partnership.

The frequent exchanges of high-level visits between

China and Argentina in recent years are of vital significance to expand

China-Argentina strategic partnership, he said.

Latin American countries are attaching greater

importance to their relations with China, already an important trading partner

to the region, said the expert.

Last year, the Chinese government issued its first

policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, which has attracted great

attention of Latin American governments, Oviedo said.

The policy paper showed that China's efforts to

develop its ties with Latin America is a long-term strategic decision, and both

sides will achieve common development through expanded bilateral cooperation in

various fields.