China ready to work with Peru to promote bilateral ties to new heights: Xi

China is ready to work with Peru to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries onto new heights, visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday when holding talks with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte in Lima, Peru.

Xi arrived in the Peruvian capital earlier in the day to attend the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, and pay a state visit to the Latin American country at the invitation of Boluarte.

In the talks with Boluarte, Xi said that the China-Peru relationship has maintained sound growth momentum over the past 53 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, especially after his first state visit to Peru in 2016.

Through joint efforts of both sides, China-Peru bilateral trade has expanded by 1.6 times, with the stock of Chinese enterprises' investment in Peru doubled, and the upgrading of the free trade agreement between the two countries completed, which have all brought tangible benefits to the people of the two countries, Xi recalled.

"China values the traditional friendship with Peru, appreciates the Peruvian Congress' decision to designate February 1 as the 'Peru-China Fraternity Day', and is optimistic about the broad prospects for cooperation between the two sides. China is willing to work together with Peru to promote the China-Peru comprehensive strategic partnership onto new heights, in order to better benefit the people of the two countries. During this visit, I will attend the inauguration ceremony of the Chancay Port via video together with Madam President. This is another successful project in Belt and Road cooperation between China and Peru," Xi said.

"China is ready to join hands with Peru to build a new land-sea corridor between China and Latin America with the Chancay Port as a starting point, in order to connect the Inca Trail with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and open up a road to common prosperity and happiness for Peru and other Latin American and Caribbean countries," he said.

The 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Lima on Friday and Saturday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday sent messages of condolence to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev over the casualties in the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane.

Xi said that he was shocked to learn that a passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines crashed, causing casualties.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi deeply mourned the victims. Also in the messages, he offered sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.