On March 1st, Yamandú Orsi was inaugurated as the new President of Uruguay in the national capital Montevideo. Orsi was elected President in a second, run off round of voting on November 24, 2024, as the candidate of the Broad Front (Frente Amplio). The Broad Front is a coalition of 12 left-wing political parties, foremost among them the Communist Party and the Socialist Party. The front returns to the political leadership of the country after five years in opposition, strengthening the left wing and progressive forces in Latin America.
China’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Jun attended the inauguration as the Special Envoy of President Xi Jinping. Among other prominent political figures in attendance were the presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Chile.
Meeting with President Orsi on March 2nd, Han conveyed the greetings and best wishes of Xi Jinping and said that China attaches great importance to the development of China-Uruguay relations and is willing to work hand in hand with Uruguay to lift bilateral relations to higher levels so as to better benefit the two peoples, inject more stability and certainty into Latin America and the international community, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Orsi said that successive governments of Uruguay have attached great importance to developing relations with China, and there is broad consensus on this across all sectors of society. The new Uruguayan government is willing to work with China to continuously deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, steadily strengthen practical cooperation in various fields, and make joint efforts to defend multilateralism and free trade and cope with global challenges.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) has long maintained close friendly relations with the Broad Front. In August 2024, during his visit to Uruguay, Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), met with a number of its leaders, including Orsi, then the prospective presidential candidate.
Liu said that political parties play an important role in the political life of a country. The CPC attaches importance to its relations with the Broad Front and is willing to further strengthen exchanges between the two Parties at all levels, carry out various forms of exchanges and cooperation, deepen pragmatic cooperation through the channel of political party relations, promote sub-national exchanges, and push the continuous development of China-Uruguay relations.
The Uruguayan side welcomed the CPC delegation, which visited the headquarters of the Broad Front. They said that not long ago, a delegation of the Broad Front cadres visited China at the invitation of the CPC, enhancing their understanding of China and the CPC.
During his visit, Liu also met with Ana Olivera, President of the House of Representatives of Uruguay, who is also a leading member of the Communist Party of Uruguay. She fondly recalled her visit to China and appreciated China’s commitment to comprehensive reform and its great achievements in poverty alleviation and other fields. She said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Uruguay and China, successive Uruguayan administrations have advocated friendship with China, with new progress having been made in bilateral relations.
The above-mentioned Broad Front delegation had visited China the previous month, July 2024, and was led by its general coordinator Jorge Gotta.
Meeting the delegation, Minister Liu noted that the CPC and the Broad Front of Uruguay are partners who share the same goals. The two sides should strengthen friendly exchanges, deepen exchanges and mutual learning of experience in state governance and administration, promote practical cooperation in various fields through inter-party channels, and promote the development of China-Uruguay relations and the friendship between the two peoples.
Gotta said that during the visit to China, the delegation deeply felt the hospitality of the Chinese people and the tremendous development achievements China has made in science and technology, medical care, transportation and other fields. Paying close attention to the recently held third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, the Uruguayan side is willing to actively learn from the spirit of the plenary session, especially the experience in improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and developing the whole-process people’s democracy.
The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency and on the website of the IDCPC.
Xi’s special envoy attends inauguration of Uruguay’s new president
MONTEVIDEO, March 2 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special envoy and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Jun on Saturday attended the inauguration ceremony of Uruguay’s new President Yamandu Orsi.
On Sunday, Orsi met with Han at the presidential palace, where Han conveyed Xi’s cordial greetings and best wishes to Orsi.
Since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations 37 years ago, China-Uruguay relations have maintained sound and steady development, becoming a model of mutual respect, harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation between countries with different political systems and economic sizes, said Han.
China attaches great importance to the development of China-Uruguay relations and is willing to work hand in hand with Uruguay to lift bilateral relations to higher levels so as to better benefit the two peoples, inject more stability and certainty into Latin America and the international community, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.
Orsi asked Han to convey his sincere greetings and best wishes to Xi, and sincerely thanked Xi for sending a special envoy to attend his inauguration ceremony.
Successive governments of Uruguay, he said, have attached great importance to developing relations with China, and there is broad consensus on this across all sectors of society.
The new Uruguayan government is willing to work with China to continuously deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, steadily strengthen practical cooperation in various fields, and make joint effort to defend multilateralism and free trade and cope with global challenges, he added.
Liu Jianchao Meets with Fernando Pereira Kosec, President of the Broad Front of Uruguay, and Yamandú Orsi, Presidential Candidate
Montevideo, August 6th (IDCPC) — Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today with Fernando Pereira Kosec, President of the Broad Front of Uruguay, and Yamandú Orsi, presidential candidate. Carolina Cosse, vice-presidential candidate, Verónica Piñeiro, Vice President of the Broad Front of Uruguay, and Jorge Gotta, General Coordinator of the Broad Front, were present.
Liu said, China and Uruguay are comprehensive strategic partners. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have continuously deepened political mutual trust and achieved fruitful results in economic and trade cooperation. The Chinese side is willing to, together with the Uruguayan side, carry forward the traditional friendship, use the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as a platform to continuously enrich the connotation of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership and better benefit the two peoples. Political parties play an important role in the political life of a country. The CPC attaches importance to its relations with the Broad Front and is willing to further strengthen exchanges between the two Parties at all levels, carry out various forms of exchanges and cooperation, deepen pragmatic cooperation through the channel of political party, promote sub-national exchanges, and push the continuous development of China-Uruguay relations. Liu introduced the spirit of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and said that China will expand high-level opening up to the world and share development opportunities with countries around the world, including Uruguay.
The Uruguayan side welcomed the CPC delegation, which visited the headquarters of the Broad Front. They said that not long ago, a delegation of the Broad Front cadres visited China at the invitation of the CPC, enhancing their understanding of China and the CPC. China is an important trading partner of Uruguay. Uruguay supports and actively participates in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, which is crucial to Uruguay’s development. The Broad Front supports the Uruguayan government and the Chinese side in jointly implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state, facilitating cooperation in economy, trade, science, technology, information and communications, strengthening cultural and educational exchanges, and enhancing sub-national exchanges. The Uruguayan side is willing to promote cooperation between the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and China, and supports the BRICS in playing a greater role in international affairs.
Liu Jianchao Meets with Ana Olivera, President of the House of Representatives of Uruguay
Montevideo, August 5th (IDCPC) — Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today with Ana Olivera, President of the House of Representatives of Uruguay.
Liu said, despite differences in size and population, China and Uruguay have always respected and supported each other, becoming a model of equal treatment, harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation between large and small countries. Last year, President Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou successfully visited China and announced together with President Xi Jinping the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries. The Chinese side is willing to, together with the Uruguayan side, strengthen strategic communication, deepen cooperation in areas such as economy and trade under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and promote China-Uruguay relations for in-depth development. The Chinese side is willing to further strengthen exchanges between political parties and legislatures, and deepen exchanges and mutual learning of experience in state governance and administration with the Uruguayan side. Liu introduced the main experience of China’s reform and opening up and the main characteristics of China’s modernization, and said that the Chinese side is willing to enhance exchanges and mutual learning with the Uruguayan side, promote the development of respective countries and the well-being of the peoples, and actively contribute to world peace and development.
Olivera fondly recalled her visit to China and appreciated China’s commitment to comprehensive reform and great achievements in poverty alleviation and other fields. She said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Uruguay and China, successive Uruguayan administrations have advocated friendship with China, with new progress made in bilateral relations. The Uruguayan side firmly adheres to the one-China principle and firmly supports the Chinese side’s just position on the Taiwan question and other issues. The two sides should strengthen exchanges between political parties and legislatures and expand exchanges and cooperation in economy, culture and other fields. Uruguay’s 2024 general elections will take place in the second half of this year. It is believed that no matter which party comes to power, it will continue to work hard to develop Uruguay-China friendship, and bilateral relations will have a broader prospect.
Liu Jianchao Meets with a Cadre Study Group of the Broad Front of Uruguay
Beijing, July 23rd (IDCPC) — Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), met here today with a cadre study group of the Broad Front of Uruguay led by Jorge Gotta, general coordinator of the Broad Front.
Liu said, the long geographical distance has not hindered the friendship between China and Uruguay and the mutual understanding and close relations between the two peoples. In November 2023, President Xi Jinping successfully met with visiting President Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou, elevating the relationship between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The Chinese side insists that all countries, big or small, are equal, and is willing to work with the Uruguayan side to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and push bilateral relations to new heights.
Liu noted, the CPC and the Broad Front of Uruguay are partners who share the same goals. The two sides should strengthen friendly exchanges, deepen exchanges and mutual learning of experience in state governance and administration, promote practical cooperation in various fields through inter-party channels, and promote the development of China-Uruguay relations and the friendship between the two peoples. Last week, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was successfully held. China will adhere to reform and opening up and the path of Chinese modernization, and constantly improve the whole-process people’s democracy. China is willing to support each other with Uruguay in realizing the modernization of respective countries, and become comprehensive strategic partners who treat each other equally and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
Gotta said, during the visit to China, the delegation deeply felt the hospitality of the Chinese people and the tremendous development achievements China has made in science and technology, medical care, transportation and other fields. Paying close attention to the recently held third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, the Uruguayan side is willing to actively learn from the spirit of the plenary session, especially the experience in improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and developing the whole-process people’s democracy, strengthen exchanges between the political parties of the two countries, and deepen cooperation in various fields to promote the continuous and in-depth development of Uruguay-China friendship.
According to Prensa Latina, Uruguay will work with China on a lunar research station: https://www.plenglish.com/news/2024/08/21/uruguay-to-join-chinese-lunar-project/ .