Uruguay, located in the southeastern part of South America, is one of the countries farthest from China. In 2018, Uruguay became the first Mercosur country to sign a Belt and Road cooperation document with China. What are the highlights of China-Uzbekistan cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative? How does the people-to-people bond project benefit the local people?

Ambassador of Uruguay to China: Uruguay is the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to express its willingness to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. Subsequently, we became one of the first countries in the region to sign a Memorandum of Understanding. Uruguay is one of the first Latin American countries to join the AIIB, and we are also the first non-BRICS country to join the BRICS New Development Bank. I think that thanks to Uruguay's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, China and Uruguay can cooperate in various ways. Our trade has been growing, and despite the impact of the pandemic, our exports to China were record in 2021.

The Belt and Road Initiative not only makes the cooperation between China and Uruguay blossom everywhere, but also greatly promotes the interconnection between Uruguay and Latin American countries. In 2022, the ship "La Plata Express I" manufactured by a Chinese company will be officially put into operation, which will help Uruguay become a Latin American logistics center. The ambassador said that the Belt and Road Initiative has benefited Uruguay a lot, and also enabled more Latin American countries to take this "fast track" of development.

Ambassador of Uruguay to China: Uruguay is trying to establish a more effective connection with Argentina, with a new modern shipping line, and they have found a Chinese company that can provide the best option for this investment. I think it's a clear example of how we can better work together to complement each other's economies. An important basis for implementing these projects is that Uruguayan companies have great trust in Chinese companies. They have been to China many times and they know how good Chinese companies are, which is why they are progressing very fast in this project.

In your opinion, what is the significance of China-Uzbekistan cooperation in promoting the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Latin America?

Ambassador of Uruguay to China: We hope to drive the entire region to develop relations with China more proactively. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, it is very important to strengthen dialogue in the entire Latin American region. Our President has also advocated for our Mercosur, a more direct dialogue with China, especially in areas of free trade that we value very much. So we are happy to be part of this global initiative and we hope to facilitate more dialogue between China across our region, Latin America and the Caribbean.Editor/Ma Xue