China's Xi calls for 'orderly' world in talks with Uruguay leader

by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Feb 3, 2026

China's leader Xi Jinping called Tuesday for an "equal and orderly multipolar world" in the face of "unilateral bullying", in an apparent jab at the United States.

Xi was speaking during talks in Beijing with Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi, the first South American leader to visit China since US special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last month -- an operation that Beijing condemned as a violation of sovereignty.

Orsi follows a slew of leaders to have visited China in recent months, seeking to boost ties with the world's second-largest economy to hedge against US President Donald Trump's increasingly unpredictable administration.

"The international situation is fraught with intertwined turmoil, and unilateral bullying is intensifying," Xi told Orsi, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

China "is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with Uruguay in the Global South, jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalisation," he said.

Beijing "supports Latin American and Caribbean countries in safeguarding their sovereignty, security, and development interests", Xi added.

During the meeting, Orsi warned of risks from the "challenging international and regional scenario".

China is Uruguay's top trading partner, largest export destination and a key buyer of agricultural products such as soybeans and beef.

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands have also grown their market share in Uruguay, accounting for almost a third of EV sales last year.

Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Latin America as part of its quest for natural resources and through its vast Belt and Road infrastructure project.

China and Uruguay will "seek to increase and diversify our bilateral trade", Orsi said during the meeting, adding that they both supported a "standard-based international trade system".

The two leaders signed agreements on science, technology, environmental cooperation and other areas.

Xi said the two sides would explore cooperation in emerging fields such as green tech, the digital economy and artificial intelligence.

Uruguay is part of South America's Mercosur trade bloc, along with Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, which limits its ability to strike unilateral trade deals with Beijing.

Montevideo has previously expressed interest in an independent commercial deal with China, which sparked opposition from fellow members.

Mercosur signed a trade deal -- two decades in the making -- with the European Union last month, eliminating tariffs on more than 90 percent of bilateral trade.

Orsi is due to hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, Beijing's number three-ranked official, on Tuesday before travelling to Shanghai.