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.

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

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

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

The Chinese and Peruvian communities in Lima, the capital of Peru, extended their warm welcome to Chinese President Xi Jinping who arrived in Lima on Thursday for a state visit to the country, expressing the hope that his visit will further strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors.

President Xi is in Peru to attend the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and pay a state visit at the invitation of President Boluarte.

Crowds of people warmly welcomed President Xi in downtown Lima when the Chinese president's motorcade passed through.

"I believe that this visit will definitely elevate China-Peru relations to a new level, bring bilateral cooperation in all these areas such as economy, education, science and technology to new heights, and help expand cooperation between the two countries," said Li Siying, an overseas Chinese.

"I'm interested in the friendship between China and Peru. It's always a blessing to our both cultures pushing during all these years. It's amazing to see the importance that it has in the APEC Forum and in the commercial relationships between both countries. So I'm really happy and really excited to see it," said Andrea Mallque, an assistant at the Chinese Embassy in Peru.

"I work on Lima Metro Line 2, which is an exemplary project of cooperation between China and Peru. I hope that President Xi's visit will further strengthen the friendship between the two nations and foster cooperation in areas such as culture, energy, mining and infrastructure."said Zhang Yongping, a Chinese engineer working in Peru.

Peru was one of the first Latin American countries to establish diplomatic relations and a comprehensive strategic partnership with China. It is also the first Latin American country to sign a package of free trade agreements with China.

Since China and Peru signed the memorandum of understanding on Belt and Road cooperation in 2019, bilateral cooperation has achieved fruitful results, with increasingly close collaboration in economy, trade, finance, culture and other fields.

China has been Peru's largest trading partner and largest export market for 10 consecutive years.

Overseas Chinese, locals welcome Xi's Peru visit, hoping for strengthened bilateral ties

Overseas Chinese, locals welcome Xi's Peru visit, hoping for strengthened bilateral ties