AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits a farm in Buenos Aires on June 24 (YAO DAWEI)

Now distance is no longer a problem. China and Latin America, which are far away from each other, are rapidly developing their relationship and enhancing cooperation. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's recent visit to the region sent a signal that Sino-Latin American relations will develop by leaps and bounds in the coming years. Observers told Beijing Review that seizing strategic development opportunities, China and Latin American nations will give each other a bright future.

Agreements

The Chinese premier conducted a tour in late June to four Latin American states, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. During his visit, China and the four countries reached consensus on fully developing their relationships by boosting mutual trust, trade and economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Yang Shouguo, Deputy Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said it was Wen's first trip to these countries. "The premier's visit strengthened China's all-round cooperation with these countries," he said. By increasing political mutual trust, China and the four countries have cemented a solid basis for other cooperation, he added.

China and Brazil announced on June 22 they agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in a major step to advance their cooperation. They also decided to set up a comprehensive strategic dialogue mechanism between their foreign ministers and signed a 10-year cooperation plan.

China and Chile announced in a joint statement on June 26 they will elevate their comprehensive cooperative partnership established in 2004 to a strategic partnership. Their bilateral cooperation will be actively promoted via current dialogue mechanisms such as informal consultations on human rights and judicial issues.

In a joint statement issued on June 25 in Buenos Aires, China and Argentina agreed to initiate the formulation of a mutual action plan to guide and coordinate bilateral cooperation in the next five years. The two sides agreed to intensify high-level contact and communication and boost exchanges and cooperation between their governments, legislatures and political parties, in order to consolidate political and strategic mutual trust.

According to the joint statement, China backs Argentina's claim to sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, called the Falkland Islands by Britain, and calls for a peaceful settlement of the Argentina-Britain dispute via negotiations in line with related UN resolutions. Argentina firmly adheres to the one-China policy and supports the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Straits and China's peaceful reunification. These pledges show high strategic mutual trust between the two countries.

China and Uruguay pledged during Wen's visit to foster their trade ties and step up exchanges between the two nations' legislative bodies. In a speech at the UN Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) and the Caribbean on June 26 in Santiago, Wen proposed the establishment of a China-Latin America cooperation forum in order to elevate the platform for comprehensive cooperation.

"Considering the rapid development of China's cooperation with Latin America, now it's time to upgrade China's relationship with these countries," said Yang Shouguo. For instance, he said, China and Brazil now have a cooperative relationship between two big nations, not just a common bilateral relationship. Such a relationship requires all-round cooperation instead of simple trade and economic relations.