China, Bolivia promote friendly relations

China and Bolivia on Thursday vowed to further promote their friendly and reciprocal relationship in talks between the two presidents. President Xi Jinping and visiting Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales Ayma agreed in their talks at the Great Hall of the People that the two countries should keep up high-level engagements; strengthen communication between governments, legislatures and political parties; share experience on state governing; and continue to support each other on major issues involving each other's core interests. The two sides will promote balanced growth of bilateral trade and jointly promote cooperation in areas including energy, minerals, agriculture, infrastructure construction, high technology, finance and aerospace. Bolivia welcomes Chinese investment and will create a good environment for it. The two sides will increase cultural, educational and tourism exchanges; promote mutual understanding and friendship; and facilitate personnel exchanges. The two countries also vowed close cooperation in multilateral mechanisms including the United Nations and the Group of 77 plus China, and strengthen coordination on issues of sustainable development, climate change and food security, to maintain the interests of developing countries. They will promote early establishment of a China-Latin America cooperation forum to push forward the comprehensive cooperation between China and Latin American countries. The two presidents witnessed the signing of several cooperation deals including governmental technology and economic cooperation. Xi said China attaches high importance to relations with Bolivia and takes Morales' China visit as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation. He wished the Bolivian government and people new achievements in national development and vowed to continue to support Bolivia's economic and social progress. Morales spoke highly of the affection and trust the Bolivian people embraced towards the Chinese people, China's remarkable development and its role as a responsible country. He said it is a priority of Bolivia's foreign policy to develop a friendly and reciprocal relationship with China. He congratulated Xi on the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and said China's reform will bring greater opportunities for bilateral cooperation. Morales was invited by Xi to pay a state visit to China from Dec. 19 to 21.