BRASILIA, July 15 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here Tuesday for a state visit to Brazil and meeting with leaders of Latin American and Caribbean nations.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between China and Brazil, and bilateral relations have achieved fruitful results, Xi said upon his arrival, noting that each country's development is closely linked to that of the other side.

"I am looking forward to conducting wide exchanges with Brazilian leaders and people from all walks of life, focusing on common development, boosting practical cooperation and accelerating the development of the China-Brazil comprehensive strategic partnership," Xi said.

China and Latin American and Caribbean nations are all developing countries, and China always regards its ties with Latin America from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, said the Chinese leader.

China's proposal of holding meetings between leaders of China and Latin American nations is aimed at enhancing the two-way relations, promoting overall China-Latin America cooperation so as to achieve greater development of bilateral ties.

Xi arrived in Brasilia after attending the sixth BRICS summit in the Brazilian city of Fortaleza.

Brazil is the first leg of Xi's Latin American trip, which will later take him to Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba.