Some Latin American diplomats and scholars have spoken highly of Chinese leaders' recent tour of the region, saying their visits will boost the strategic cooperation between China and the Latin American countries.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Vice Premier Hui Liangyu paid separate official visits to Latin America countries in February, the beginning of the Chinese lunar new year.

The Chinese leaders' visits to the region are of great significance to promote China-Latin America relations, said Gustavo Gerardo, chairman of the Asia-Argentina Association.

As a major trade and investment power, China is playing an increasingly important role in the global economy, he said.

The Chinese and Latin American economies are highly complementary to each other. Primary products produced by Latin American countries for export to China help maintain China's economic stability and growth. Meanwhile, China's investment and commodities have strong appeal to Latin American countries, he added.

China has strengthened its economic cooperation with Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Peru and Argentina in recent years. It has also forged strategic partnership with an increasing number of countries in the region, Gerardo noted.

Amid the global economic downturn, enhanced consultation between leaders of the two sides will help them better tackle the ongoing financial crisis, Gerardo said.

Prospects for bilateral cooperation between China and Latin America will be even greater, he said.

Gustavo Cruz, a diplomat with Ecuadorian embassy in Uruguay, said Ecuador and China reached a host of key agreements during Hui's visit to Ecuador last month.

Cruz said he saw vast prospects for cooperation between Ecuador and China in many areas such as energy and mining.

The Ecuadorian government values its relations with China. High-level exchanges between Ecuador and China will help the two sides broaden consensus, narrow differences and push bilateral ties to new heights, he said.

Eduardo Oviedo, an expert on Chinese affairs in the National University of Rosario, noted that several Chinese leaders have paid successive visits to the region following President Hu Jintao's successful Latin American tour last year.

It shows China's interest in strengthening ties with Latin American countries, which is of great significance to consolidate bilateral strategic partnership.

The frequent exchanges of high-level visits between China and Argentina in recent years are of vital significance to expand China-Argentina strategic partnership, he said.

Latin American countries are attaching greater importance to their relations with China, already an important trading partner to the region, said the expert.

Last year, the Chinese government issued its first policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, which has attracted great attention of Latin American governments, Oviedo said.

The policy paper showed that China's efforts to develop its ties with Latin America is a long-term strategic decision, and both sides will achieve common development through expanded bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Source: Xinhua