China, Argentina eye closer ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) holds talks with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 18, 2014. Xi and his Argentine counterpart, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, agreed here Friday to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

China and Argentina pledged in Buenos Aires Friday to further consolidate their relations and boost bilateral win-win cooperation. [Special coverage]

Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Argentine counterpart, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, affirmed their commitment in a joint statement released after their talks.

Bilateral relations have achieved remarkable progress since the two countries established a strategic partnership in 2004, noted the document, adding that upgrading the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership lifts the ever booming ties to a new high.

The two leaders agreed to keep frequent communication on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, and pledged to deepen political mutual trust and support the development paths and core interests of each other's countries.

The Argentine side reiterated that it firmly sticks to the one-China policy and supports China's efforts to achieve peaceful reunification.

In response, Xi said China firmly supports Argentina's claim of the sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and the restart of negotiations based on relevant UN resolutions to solve the issue in a peaceful way.

The two leaders called for deeper cooperation in science and technology, nuclear energy, space and national defense, and closer exchanges between the two countries' legislative bodies, youths and local governments.

The two presidents spoke highly of the founding of the China-Argentina inter-governmental standing committee, calling on relevant departments of the two sides to give full play to this mechanism, so as to secure sustained and comprehensive development of bilateral relations.

The two leaders also expressed satisfaction over the convening of the first China-Argentina Strategic Dialogue on Economic Cooperation and Coordination during Xi's visit.

The two countries, as representatives of the emerging-market economies, play important roles in the international arena and share extensive common interests and similar stances on many international and regional issues, the statement said.

The two sides agreed that the international community should take joint action to prevent speculative capital from hindering the restructuring of sovereign debt.

The two countries, according to the statement, also agreed to join hands in the construction of a heavy water reactor power plant in Argentina.