China, Bolivia to deepen cooperation

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday met with Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales Ayma in Beijing, saying he hoped for deepened pragmatic cooperation between China and Bolivia.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales Ayma, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 19, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

China is willing to consolidate political mutual trust and deepen pragmatic cooperation with Bolivia in accordance with the principle of equality and mutual benefit, in a bid to promote greater development of bilateral relations, Li said.

China hopes to work with Bolivia to seize the new opportunities for the development of bilateral relations to push forward cooperation in such areas as economic and trade, tourism and culture, and increase imports of Bolivia's products with competitiveness and high quality, he said.

He called on the two sides to strengthen cooperation in production capacity and enhance the development and utilization of resource to advance industrialization in Bolivia.

China-Bolivia cooperation is an integral part of South-South cooperation, he said, noting that China is willing to work with Latin American countries, including Bolivia, to safeguard the common interests of developing countries and boost world peace, stability and development.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (3rd R) meets with Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales Ayma (2nd L), who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 19, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Morales said the establishment of strategic partnership between the two countries has brought bilateral relations to a new level.

During this visit, the two countries signed a number of cooperation agreements in the fields of investment, economic and trade, which will vigorously promote the development of bilateral relations, Morales said.

As the rotating chair of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in 2019, Bolivia is willing to actively push forward the CELAC-China cooperation, he said.

China's top legislator Li Zhanshu also met with Morales Tuesday.

Li Zhanshu (R), chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales Ayma at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 19, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Li called on the two countries' legislative bodies to enhance friendly exchanges and provide institutional and legal guarantee as well as social foundation for the two countries' development and cooperation, so as to make China-Bolivia ties a model for China-Latin America relations and South-South cooperation.