TO UPLIFT BILATERAL TIES

During Xi's Latin America tour, he will firstly stop at Brazil, the largest developing country and a major emerging market in the Western Hemisphere, and meet with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to push forward their relations.

"Xi's visit will usher the China-Brazil ties into a new chapter," said Mauro de Holanda, head of the Eastern Asia Department of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, noting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, which adds special significance to the trip.

Brazil is the first developing country to have established strategic partnership with China and the first Latin American country to have established the comprehensive strategic partnership with China.

In Argentina, Xi will talk with his Argentine counterpart, Cristina Fernandez, and uplift bilateral relations to a new high by inking a series of cooperative documents in trade, investment, agriculture, finance and infrastructure.

Argentina is an important cooperative partner of China in Latin America. Since the two nations forged ties 42 years ago, the China-Argentina relations have undergone rapid development and the two countries have become good friends of mutual trust and good partners of equality and mutual benefit.

Moreover, as this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral strategic partnership, analysts believe that the visit will help deepen China-Argentina pragmatic cooperation and enhance mutual political trust.

Venezuela, also an important cooperative partner of China in Latin America, is the third leg of Xi's Latin America tour. During the visit, he and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, will map out the future for bilateral relations.

Since China and Venezuela established diplomatic ties in 1974, especially a strategic partnership for common development in 2001, the two countries have witnessed comprehensive and rapid development in their relations.

Local analysts say Xi's visit will send a positive signal that bilateral mutual trust, economic cooperation, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges will get closer. Moreover, China's influence in the region will become stronger and the South-South Cooperation will be further consolidated.

The Latin America tour will finally take Xi to Cuba, the first Latin American country that has forged diplomatic ties with China.

During his stay in Cuba, Xi will hold talks with Cuban leader Raul Castro to set the direction for the bilateral relations, and the two sides will sign multiple documents on economy and trade, agriculture, biotechnology, culture, education and other fields.

"It will be Xi's second visit to Cuba in four years, which demonstrates the great importance that China has attached to its old friend," said former Chinese ambassador to Cuba Liu Yuqin.