Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay Yamandu Orsi, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

China and Uruguay should strengthen the alignment of development strategies and deepen cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, finance, agriculture and animal husbandry, infrastructure construction, and information and communications technology, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Both sides should explore the potential for cooperation in emerging fields including green development, digital economy, artificial intelligence and clean energy, so as to drive economic growth and transformation, Xi said when holding talks with President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay Yamandu Orsi in Beijing.

The meeting took place on the third day of Orsi's seven-day state visit to China. As the first Latin American head of state to visit China in 2026, Orsi's trip follows recent visits by leaders from Ireland, South Korea, Canada, Finland and the UK, drawing extensive attention from international media. 

Chinese observers pointed to agriculture, infrastructure and clean energy as key areas among all cooperation fields, underlining that the cooperation is not only meaningful for the two countries, but also highlights Global South cooperation amid a turbulent world. 

Broad cooperation

"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 got along with each other on the basis of mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation, according to Xinhua.

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.

China and Uruguay should continue to firmly support each other's core interests and major concerns, strengthen friendly exchanges at all levels and across all areas, enhance exchanges of experience in governance, and continuously deepen strategic mutual trust, Xi emphasized.

The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, Xi said, noting the international landscape is marked by a mix of turbulence and transformation, while unilateral bullying is intensifying.

China supports Uruguay in taking over the chairmanship of the Group of 77 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 said.

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.

For his part, Orsi said China is an important cooperation partner of Uruguay, and the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries is at its best in history.

Noting that Uruguay firmly supports the one-China principle and supports the "one country, two systems" policy, he said Uruguay aspires to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with China and bring bilateral cooperation to a higher level.

Uruguay stands ready to work with China to stay committed to 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, he said.

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

During Orsi's visit, the two sides issued a joint statement on deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership. 

Yuan Dongzhen, deputy director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that China and many Latin American countries, including Uruguay, enjoy strong economic complementarity. China and Uruguay have a wide range of cooperation with agriculture, infrastructure and clean energy as highlights. 

The presence of the president of the Uruguayan Football Association is one of the highlights of Orsi's visit, as cooperation on this sport and the 2030 World Cup is being discussed, according to Uruguay's news outlet brecha.com.

Yuan added that Uruguay's geographic position in South America gives China-Uruguay infrastructure cooperation unique value - not only in promoting Uruguay's own connectivity, but also in facilitating broader integration across southern South America.

Therefore China-Uruguay cooperation carries significance beyond bilateral level, and can set as a sound example of Global South cooperation, the expert said.

Closely watched visit  

Orsi has continuously shared updates on social media, actively sharing his China itinerary, ranging from the information and videos from his arrival in Beijing, meetings with the Chinese leader, his visits to the Great Wall, the Palace Museum and the Museum of the Communist Party of China, as well as interactions with staff at a Beijing restaurant selling Uruguayan beef. 

"It is an honor to be part of this unique experience. Visiting this magnificent place makes us recognize how much we can achieve and the humility needed to attain true harmony," Orsi wrote in Spanish in the guestbook of the Palace Museum, according to his Instagram post.

Orsi's visit has also been closely watched by foreign media, with many focusing on the timing. Al Jazeera reported that China and Uruguay have moved to deepen their strategic partnership despite pressure from US to keep Chinese influence out of Latin America. 

The outlet also said Orsi's trip is being closely watched as he becomes the first Latin American leader to visit China since the US' capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by force in early January.

Reuters also highlighted the significance of the visit, citing Francisco Urdinez, a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, as saying that "for Beijing, hosting Orsi… signals that South American countries remain eager to engage, despite the increasingly polarized geopolitical environment."

The resurgence of the US' "new Monroe Doctrine" has exerted great pressure on Latin America, becoming a major external constraint on regional development, Pan Deng, director of the Latin America and Caribbean Region Law Center at China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

"That makes Latin American countries increasingly eager to safeguard independence, stability and security, and to activate growth momentum through expanded multilateral economic and trade cooperation, which is an approach highly compatible with China's commitment to multilateralism and pragmatic cooperation," Pan said.

China and Uruguay share natural common ground in geopolitical and security concerns, Pan noted. Both firmly uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity, oppose unilateral bullying, external interference and bloc confrontation, and resist attempts to draw Latin America into major-power rivalry.