On October 27, 2008, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Jinzhang met in the Foreign Ministry with a joint press delegation from Latin American countries.

Li warmly welcomed the senior journalists from Latin American mainstream media to come to China at the special time when China has witnessed 30 years of reform and opening up and successfully hosted the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. He said China, as a reliable good friend and partner of Latin American countries, attaches great importance to ties with those countries. In recent years, with the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral ties have shown a gratifying situation with all-round, multi-level and wide-area development. Both sides have built up political trust, deepened trade cooperation, increased humanities and people-to-people exchanges and conducted fruitful cooperation on science, technology, culture, education and tourism. After the devastating earthquake that hit China’s Sichuan province on May 12, the governments and people of Latin American countries expressed condolences and offered assistance through various means to the Chinese side. These countries have also actively supported and participated in the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, which fully represents the friendly feelings held by Latin American people towards the Chinese people, said Li. In the new situation, China is ready to make joint efforts with Latin American countries to further enhance exchanges and cooperation in all areas and continuously open up new prospect for their ties. Li hoped that the journalists from Latin American countries will accurately introduce what they have seen, heard and felt to their people and make positive contributions to mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples as well as sound, stable development of China-Latin America relations. Li also took questions from the journalists on such issues as China’s relations with Latin American countries, their trade cooperation and the international financial crisis.

The members of the delegation thanked the Chinese side for providing such a precious reporting opportunity to them, pledging to offer objective, accurate reporting on China’s development after returning home and contribute to China-Latin America friendship.

The delegation is visiting China at the invitation of the Information Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. It is composed of journalists from seven countries including Argentina, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Cuba and Peru.