元首外交｜建交35載 中國烏拉圭關係再上新臺階

初冬時節，天安門廣場鳴放21響禮炮，禮兵列隊致敬，歡迎遠道而來的客人。

11月22日下午，國家主席習近平在人民大會堂同來華進行國事訪問的烏拉圭總統拉卡列舉行會談。

兩國元首宣佈，將中烏關係提升為全面戰略夥伴關係。站在這一新起點、新坐標上，兩國合作領域必將愈加豐富，人文交流愈加多彩，為中拉合作與中南合作注入強勁動力。

11月22日下午，國家主席習近平在北京人民大會堂同來華進行國事訪問的烏拉圭總統拉卡列舉行會談。這是會談前，習近平在人民大會堂北大廳為拉卡列舉行歡迎儀式。

雙邊關係高水準發展

2023年是中烏建交35週年。兩國雖遠隔重洋，國情相殊，但雙邊關係始終持續穩定健康發展。近年來，在兩國元首的戰略引領下，中烏關係取得豐碩成果。2016年，中烏共同宣佈建立戰略夥伴關係。

在同拉卡列總統會談時，習近平主席指出兩國關係持續發展的關鍵：“相互尊重”“平等相待”“合作共贏”。寄望未來，習近平主席指出，將中烏關係打造成為不同體量、不同制度、不同文化國家團結合作的典範，更好服務各自國家發展，增進兩國人民福祉。

拉卡列總統表示，不斷深化烏中關係是烏拉圭各界和全體人民的強烈共識。烏中關係已經超越經貿領域，呈現出多維度、高水準發展的良好態勢。

11月22日下午，國家主席習近平在北京人民大會堂同來華進行國事訪問的烏拉圭總統拉卡列舉行會談。

22日的會談後，中烏兩國元首共同見證簽署共建“一帶一路”合作規劃，貿易投資、數字經濟、綠色發展、農業、衛生、教育、文化、科技創新和海關檢驗檢疫等領域多項雙邊合作文件。

烏拉圭外長奧馬爾·帕加尼尼告訴新華社記者，自己前不久首次到訪中國，中國的發展讓他印象深刻。他認為，烏拉圭“應全方位深化與中國的合作關係”，希望兩國關係能夠提升至更高水準，相信兩國在農牧業、可再生能源、電子商務、人工智慧等領域合作潛力大。

近年來，兩國在聯合國、中拉論壇等多邊框架內保持良好協作，烏拉圭還加入亞洲基礎設施投資銀行和金磚國家新開發銀行，共同促進南南合作、助力全球發展。

烏拉圭天主教大學國際商務研究所所長巴爾泰薩吉認為，烏中兩國在投融資、公共衛生、文化交流、應對全球挑戰等方面都存在廣泛的合作空間。

“通向世界和諧共處的道路”

在22日的會談中，習近平主席指出，雙方要密切立法機構、政黨、地方友好交流合作，以簽署共建“一帶一路”合作規劃為契機，加強發展戰略對接，培育服務貿易、數字經濟、清潔能源等領域合作新動能，推動中烏共建“一帶一路”進入高品質發展新階段。

2018年，烏拉圭成為首個同中方簽署共建“一帶一路”諒解備忘錄的南方共同市場成員國。5年來，兩國合作在“一帶一路”框架下不斷走深走實。

在烏拉圭的派桑杜省，一座座銀色的高壓電鐵塔在廣闊的草原上次第而立。中國和烏拉圭工人共同搭建著新的鐵塔。在“一帶一路”合作框架下，由中國中設集團總承包的烏拉圭500千伏輸變電環網閉合項目跨越了烏拉圭北部5個省份。

派桑杜省吉瓊市市長馬丁·阿爾瓦雷斯告訴記者，這一項目為當地創造大量就業崗位，他期待烏中合作進一步加深，為烏拉圭帶來更多這樣的好項目。

這是2023年11月15日拍攝的位於烏拉圭派桑杜省烏拉圭500千伏輸變電環網閉合項目施工現場。

帕加尼尼説，中國不僅助力烏拉圭打造“韌性更強”的全國輸電網路，也助力烏拉圭更好地聯通阿根廷、巴西等鄰國，“通過推動投資、貿易、基礎設施建設為人民謀福祉，是一條通向世界各國和諧共處的道路，這對所有國家的發展都是好事”。

共用中國發展機遇

拉卡列總統此次帶領重要內閣成員和龐大的經貿代表團訪華。不少企業都希望擁抱中國市場，共用發展機遇。

習近平主席在同拉卡列總統會談時指出，歡迎更多烏拉圭優質農牧産品和高附加值産品進入中國市場，鼓勵中國企業赴烏投資興業，希望烏方繼續為中國企業提供良好營商環境。

閃亮的紫水晶、濃郁的牛奶醬、馥鬱的丹娜葡萄酒、柔軟的羊毛圍巾……在今年第六屆中國國際進口博覽會國家館內，烏拉圭展區的豐富商品吸引不少人駐足。

烏拉圭連續參加六屆進博會。在國家品牌促進機構“烏拉圭二十一”經理巴勃羅·佩雷拉看來，參加進博會的“全勤”記錄是烏拉圭加強對華經貿合作的縮影，不斷增長的中國市場為烏拉圭企業提供了巨大商機。

2019年11月6日，參觀者在第二屆進博會烏拉圭國家館展臺諮詢。

中國和烏拉圭建交之初，羊毛在兩國貿易中佔據重要份額。近年來，兩國經貿合作領域不斷拓寬，烏拉圭的牛肉、紅酒、乳製品等優質産品出現在中國百姓的餐桌上，中國的汽車、家電、日用品等産品也豐富著烏拉圭民眾的生活。中國連續11年保持烏第一大貿易夥伴和最大出口市場地位，2022年兩國貿易額達到74.4億美元，是建交時的60倍。

“烏拉圭是中國可靠的合作夥伴。”烏拉圭畜牧業、農業和漁業部長費爾南多·馬托斯對新華社記者説，當今世界，頻發的地區衝突、全球性的公共衛生事件等不確定性因素對全球供應鏈造成負面影響，而中國的倡議和行動為全球供應鏈注入了穩定性。

帕加尼尼説，2016年烏中戰略夥伴關係建立後，雙邊貿易出現強勁增長。2022年，中國從烏拉圭進口額創新高，這對烏拉圭來説意義重大。

“有朋自遠方來”

習近平主席指出，中烏雙方要促進文化、體育等人文交流，為兩國人員往來創造更多便利條件，中方願向烏方提供更多獎學金名額。

在同習近平主席會談時，拉卡列總統表示，支援在烏設立更多孔子學院，促進兩國人員往來和人文交流。他此訪在清華大學發表演講時，也提到人文交往的重要性，“我們應該跨越國界、跨越文化，通過相互溝通來增進相互理解”。

近年來，烏拉圭的中文學習熱方興未艾，越來越多的烏拉圭學校等機構有意招收更多中文老師教授中文課。

拉美社科院烏拉圭分部研究員卡拉·羅索今年開設了“理解中國——亞洲巨人的歷史與文化”的研究生課程。這位曾在華留學3年的學者告訴記者，不少學生因為對中國武術、美食、電影的喜愛而選擇學習中國文化，還有一些人出於工作需要，希望通過學習中國文化更深入地了解中國。她告訴記者，她的學生、聖何塞市議員哈維爾·古鐵雷斯就是在訪問重慶後迷上了中國文化，回國後選修了這門課程。

羅索説，人文交流是國與國交流的根基，是不同國家人民相互理解的關鍵。

烏拉圭一家木材出口公司的職員露西婭·法哈多曾在北京語言大學學習中文，後在廈門大學獲得碩士學位，目前負責公司的對華業務。“有朋自遠方來，不亦樂乎？”法哈多引用《論語》名言説，烏拉圭民眾希望烏中關係越來越好，人民之間越走越親近。

2023年9月29日，烏拉圭共和國大學孔子學院師生一起做月餅，歡度中秋節。

烏拉圭共和國大學孔子學院中方院長郭梅告訴記者，孔子學院每年培養學生350人。近年來，越來越多的烏拉圭人相信中文是對職業發展很重要的語言，學中文的人越來越多。

烏拉圭體操運動員維克托·羅斯塔尼奧曾三次前往中國長沙，和中國運動員一起訓練，其中有的運動員還拿過世界冠軍。“我們在中國教練員和運動員的幫助下，競技水準提高了很多。”羅斯塔尼奧説，期待烏中體育交流能進一步深入，通過體育增加雙方民眾的了解。

交得其道，千里同好。中烏正架起跨越山海的友誼之橋。展望未來，兩國將繼續攜手前進，深化務實合作，為中拉合作與中南合作注入新的活力，為世界提供更多機遇。

China-Uruguay ties expected to bear more fruits with comprehensive strategic partnership

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Uruguayan President Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou here on Wednesday. The two heads of state announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Embarking on a new starting point, the two countries are expected to carry out increased cooperation and enriched people-to-people exchanges, which will further energize China-Latin America cooperation, as well as cooperation between China and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur).

HIGH-LEVEL DEVELOPMENT IN RELATIONSHIP

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Uruguay. Despite the significant geographical distance and different national conditions between the two countries, their bilateral relations have maintained a stable and robust development.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have adhered to mutual respect, equal treatment and win-win cooperation, Xi said during his meeting with Lacalle. Looking forward, Xi expressed his hope to make China-Uruguay relations a model for solidarity and cooperation between countries of different sizes, systems and cultures, better serve the development of the two countries, and improve the well-being of the two peoples.

For his part, Lacalle said that Uruguay-China relations have gone beyond economy and trade, and shown sound multi-dimensional and high-level development momentum.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of the Belt and Road cooperation plan, and bilateral cooperation documents related to such fields as trade and investment, the digital economy, green development, agriculture, health, education, culture, scientific and technological innovation, and customs inspection and quarantine.

In recent years, the two countries have maintained great cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Forum. Meanwhile, Uruguay has joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank, contributing to South-South cooperation and global development.

FRUITFUL COOPERATION

During Wednesday's talks, Xi called on the two sides to step up friendly exchanges and cooperation among legislatures, political parties and localities; take the signing of the Belt and Road cooperation plan as an opportunity to enhance the synergy of development strategies; foster new drivers of cooperation on trade in services, the digital economy and clean energy; and push China-Uruguay Belt and Road cooperation to a new stage of high-quality development.

In 2018, Uruguay became the first country in Mercosur to sign a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with China. Over the past five years, cooperation between the two countries has continuously strengthened within the framework of the BRI.

In 2021, the China Machinery Engineering Corporation won the bid for the project of a 500-kilovolt power transmission and distribution loop network in Uruguay. Crossing five provinces in the northern part of the country, the project will enhance Uruguay's electrical system resilience, enabling it to efficiently manage all renewable energy sources and facilitate their equitable distribution.

The Belt and Road promotes the development of "trade and associated services, logistics and infrastructure," Uruguay's Foreign Minister Omar Paganini said. "We have a lot to develop in the field of technology and electric mobility, so we see the relationship with China as very auspicious," Paganini said.

COMMON PROSPERITY

Lacalle led a large delegation of cabinet members and economic and trade representatives during his visit to China. Many Uruguayan companies hope to embrace the Chinese market and share development opportunities.

The Latin American country has participated in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) for six consecutive years. At the CIIE this year, a rich variety of commodities in the Uruguayan exhibition area attracted many visitors.

In recent years, the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has been expanding. Uruguayan beef, wine, dairy products and other quality products have entered Chinese people's lives, while Chinese cars, household appliances and daily necessities have also enriched the lives of Uruguayans.

Uruguay's shipments reached an all-time record in 2022 of 13.36 billion U.S. dollars and China was once again its largest market, capturing 28 percent of the total, according to figures from the official Uruguay XXI institute.

China has remained Uruguay's largest trading partner and largest export market for 11 consecutive years. Bilateral trade volume reached 7.44 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, 60 times that of when the two countries established diplomatic ties.

After the establishment of the Uruguay-China strategic partnership in 2016, bilateral trade has witnessed strong growth. In 2022, China's imports from Uruguay reached a new high, which is of great significance to Uruguay, said Paganini.

PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES

In recent years, learning Chinese has become increasingly popular in Uruguay. A growing number of Uruguayan schools and institutions are eager to recruit more Chinese teachers to teach the language.

Many students choose to study Chinese culture because of their love for Chinese martial arts, food and movies, and some want to learn more about China through learning about Chinese culture for their work, Carla Rosso, researcher of the Uruguay Section of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, told reporters.

People-to-people exchanges are the foundation of state-to-state exchanges and the key to mutual understanding between peoples of different countries, said Rosso, who obtained a master's degree in Chinese Philosophy and Culture at China's Fudan University.

"The Chinese language and knowledge of the culture were important for my professional development," said Lucia Fajardo, who works in Montevideo at a lumber exporting company that has China as one of its main markets. Fajardo learned Chinese at the Beijing Language and Culture University and got a master's degree at China's Xiamen University.

Guo Mei, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of the Republic of Uruguay, said that the institute teaches 350 students every year. In recent years, more and more Uruguayans believe that Chinese is an important language for career development, and an increasing number of people are learning Chinese.

Uruguayan gymnast Victor Rostagno has traveled three times to China's Changsha city to train with Chinese athletes, some of whom have won world championships.

"With the help of our Chinese coaches and athletes, our competitive level has improved a lot," Rostagno said.

He also expects sports exchanges between the two countries to further deepen and increase understanding between the two peoples.