China's Xi hails new 'strategic partnership' with Colombia

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday hailed his country's new "strategic partnership" with Colombia, state media reported, as he welcomed the leader of the

South American nation

to Beijing.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived in the Chinese capital on Tuesday for a state visit that his office had said would see him and Xi "sign a plan for the growth of

bilateral relations

and cooperation instruments".

Footage from Chinese state broadcaster

CCTV

showed Xi, flanked by a coterie of top officials, sitting opposite Petro's delegation at a vast table in an ornately decorated room at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
"I am pleased to jointly announce with you the upgrading of the

China-Colombia

relationship to a strategic partnership," Xi told Petro.

Relations between Beijing and Bogota "have always maintained good development momentum", the Chinese leader said.
China is "willing to work with (Bogota) to draw up a blueprint for China-Colombia relations... better benefit our two peoples, and inject positive energy into world peace and development", he added.
Petro's visit is scheduled to end on Thursday.
His office said this week that the trip also aims to "diversify and increase exports to China".