Uruguays President Orsi strengthens relations with Chinese leader Xi Jinping

Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi Visits China Amid Strengthening Ties

Uruguay’s President Yamandu Orsi has become the first Latin American leader to visit China since US special forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January. During his seven-day trip, which began on Sunday, Orsi signed a dozen cooperation agreements with Chinese officials in areas such as science, technology, and trade.

Orsi stated that Uruguay is pursuing an active international engagement, strengthening long-term ties, and creating new opportunities for the country’s development. His counterpart, Xi Jinping, emphasized the need to promote a “multipolar world and inclusive economic globalisation” while working together for “common development”.

The Uruguayan delegation, consisting of 150 people including business leaders and government officials, accompanied Orsi on his trip. The visit is notable as it deepens Uruguay’s strategic partnership with China, despite pressure from the US to limit Chinese influence in Latin America.

Orsi’s dealings with China have drawn attention from US President Donald Trump, who aims to reassert US dominance over the Western Hemisphere. The US has expressed concerns about “hostile foreign incursion” in the region, which some interpret as a reference to China.

Analysts note that Orsi’s visit signals Uruguay’s commitment to engaging with China despite warnings from the US. William Yang, senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group, stated that Orsi’s trip sends a message about China being the top economic and trading partner for countries in Latin America.

Uruguay has significant trade ties with China, with exports valued at $3.49 billion and imports worth $2.8 billion last year. The visit follows recent diplomatic efforts by other world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Yang emphasized that this trend does not indicate a fundamental shift away from the US but rather an effort to recalibrate distance between countries and the world’s top economies. China has also used these meetings to promote itself as a reliable diplomatic partner prioritizing relationship-building.

Source: Al Jazeera