Uruguay's Foreign Affairs Minister Mario Lubetkin speaks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Montevideo, Uruguay, May 6, 2025.(Photo by Nicolas Celaya/Xinhua)

MONTEVIDEO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum hosted by Beijing earlier this month marked "a leap in quality" in ties between the two sides, said Uruguay's Foreign Affairs Minister Mario Lubetkin.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the meeting provided guidance for future cooperation between China and the CELAC countries and laid out a blueprint for the development of future relations, Lubetkin told Xinhua in an interview.

The minister spoke highly of the important initiatives proposed by China at the meeting, emphasized that China is a key partner for Latin America and the Caribbean, and expressed gratitude for China's valuable support for the economic and social development of Uruguay and other CELAC member states.

Noting that Uruguay will assume the rotating presidency of CELAC in 2026, Lubetkin said that the Uruguayan side will collaborate with the current chair, Colombia, and the former chair, Honduras, to promote unity within CELAC and jointly advance its relations with China.

In 2023, China and Uruguay established a comprehensive strategic partnership, marking a new stage in their bilateral relations. Lubetkin noted that the partnership between the two countries is mutually beneficial and characterized by win-win cooperation, and the collaboration between the two countries, which is at a high level and continues to deepen, will contribute greater stability to the current complex international landscape.

Lubetkin expressed hope that, building on increasingly close economic and trade ties, "Uruguay and China will strengthen cultural exchanges to enhance mutual understanding between their peoples, thereby laying a solid foundation for deeper bilateral engagement and broader cooperation across various fields."

The Confucius Institute in Montevideo "plays an important role" in promoting cultural exchanges, he noted.

Highlighting China's global leadership in new energy and electric vehicles, Lubetkin emphasized that cooperation with China in sustainable development and the transition toward cleaner fuel sources contributes to their joint efforts in tackling environmental challenges, adding that Chinese-made electric buses have become a common sight on the streets of Montevideo.

He expressed hope that more Chinese people would visit Uruguay to experience its beautiful landscapes, and that Uruguay's high-quality agricultural and fishery products would gain greater popularity among Chinese consumers.

Although geographically distant, "Uruguay and China have consistently drawn closer to each other," said Lubetkin. ■