President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay Yamandu Orsi (middle) takes a ferry to enjoy the night view of Shanghai's Huangpu River on February 5, 2026. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

"This trip to Shanghai has left me with marvelous experiences. So here comes a simple question: when can I return? Fantastic, congratulations!" wrote the President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay Yamandu Orsi, who took a ferry to enjoy the night view of Shanghai's Huangpu River on Thursday evening, on the ferry's guestbook.

As dusk fell on the banks of the Huangpu River, with the blare of a cruise ships' horn in the air, Global Times reporters saw Orsi stepping aboard the vessel to enjoy the nightscape of the iconic Shanghai Bund. 

At around 8 pm on Thursday, the Uruguayan president boarded the cruise from the Oriental Pearl Cruise Dock for his evening voyage along the Huangpu River. 

A video captured by Global Times reporters showed that Orsi was accompanied by multiple officials. Reporters learned that members of the Uruguayan delegation, along with some Chinese business representatives, participated in the ferry excursion.

After entering the enclosed cabin of the ship, reporters noticed that the president showed great interest in the views along the Huangpu River, often communicating with the official by his side. 

As the ferry approached the Oriental Pearl Tower, Orsi took out his phone to snap a photo.

Orsi arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a seven-day state visit to China, his first after taking office in 2025. This makes Orsi the sixth foreign leader to visit China and hold meetings with the Chinese leader since the beginning of 2026, following leaders of South Korea, Ireland, Canada, Finland and most recently the UK.

Xinhua News Agency reported that President Orsi arrived in Shanghai by high-speed train on Wednesday evening.

Orsi toured Shanghai's iconic Yuyuan Garden on Thursday. On Wednesday night, the Old Jazz Band at the Shanghai Peace Hotel performed "La Cumparsita" to welcome Orsi at the Shanghai Peace Hotel.