China pledges closer legislative ties with Latin America

Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), holds talks with Elias Castillo, president of the Latin American Parliament, in Beijing, China, March 23, 2015. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

Top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang on Monday held talks with Elias Castillo, president of the Latin American Parliament, on stronger legislative ties.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, reviewed Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Latin America last July when Xi and Latin American leaders announced the establishment of China-Latin America all-round cooperation partnership.

With the ministerial meeting held in Beijing in January, China-Latin America relations have begun a new era of development and cooperation, Zhang said.

China and Latin America are faced with new opportunities to deepen cooperation, Zhang said.

He called the Latin American Parliament, with 23 member parliaments in Latin American and the Caribbean, the most important parliamentary organization in the region. He called on the NPC and the Latin American Parliament to work more closely.

Castillo called China a great country and said that the Latin American Parliament attaches importance to developing friendly exchanges with China's legislature.

Castillo said he was glad to see China become an observer of the Latin American Parliament, calling for more exchanges and cooperation.

Earlier Monday, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao also met with Castillo.

Li said stronger China-Latin America ties are in the interests of both sides, as well as world and regional peace, stability and development.

He called on the two sides to make joint efforts to continuously push forward bilateral relations.

Castillo said the 23 member parliaments of the Latin American Parliament thanked China for its support.