China ready to work with Peru to promote bilateral ties to new heights: Xi

China is ready to work with Peru to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries onto new heights, visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday when holding talks with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte in Lima, Peru.

Xi arrived in the Peruvian capital earlier in the day to attend the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, and pay a state visit to the Latin American country at the invitation of Boluarte.

In the talks with Boluarte, Xi said that the China-Peru relationship has maintained sound growth momentum over the past 53 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, especially after his first state visit to Peru in 2016.

Through joint efforts of both sides, China-Peru bilateral trade has expanded by 1.6 times, with the stock of Chinese enterprises' investment in Peru doubled, and the upgrading of the free trade agreement between the two countries completed, which have all brought tangible benefits to the people of the two countries, Xi recalled.

"China values the traditional friendship with Peru, appreciates the Peruvian Congress' decision to designate February 1 as the 'Peru-China Fraternity Day', and is optimistic about the broad prospects for cooperation between the two sides. China is willing to work together with Peru to promote the China-Peru comprehensive strategic partnership onto new heights, in order to better benefit the people of the two countries. During this visit, I will attend the inauguration ceremony of the Chancay Port via video together with Madam President. This is another successful project in Belt and Road cooperation between China and Peru," Xi said.

"China is ready to join hands with Peru to build a new land-sea corridor between China and Latin America with the Chancay Port as a starting point, in order to connect the Inca Trail with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and open up a road to common prosperity and happiness for Peru and other Latin American and Caribbean countries," he said.

The 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Lima on Friday and Saturday.

China ready to work with Peru to promote bilateral ties to new heights: Xi

China ready to work with Peru to promote bilateral ties to new heights: Xi

China ready to work with Peru to promote bilateral ties to new heights: Xi

The United Nations (UN) has urged for an immediate resumption of dialog between the United States and Iran on Tuesday, as Iran's UN envoy maintained that further negotiations depend on the U.S. lifting its blockade.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told a press conference on Tuesday that the UN is maintaining intensive communications with all relevant parties to prevent further escalation of regional tensions, calling on the U.S. and Iran to resume talks as soon as possible.

"The secretary-general as well as personal envoy continue to have various numbers of communications. Our firm hope is that the dialog between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will resume," said the spokesman.

However, the prospect of renewed talks remains uncertain. Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's permanent representative to the UN, told China Media Group (CMG) in an interview that they are ready for talks, but there are prerequisites.

"We hope so. We don't know. We're ready for that. It depends on the United States. If they [remove] the blockade, I think the next round of negotiation will take place," he said, when asked whether negotiations will resume.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Tuesday he will extend the ceasefire with Iran as the current two-week truce is set to expire on Wednesday night.

The U.S. military will continue the blockade against Iran and "remain ready and able," Trump added.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, whose trip to Pakistan for talks with Iran has been put on hold, was at the White House for meetings on Tuesday, along with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, multiple media outlets reported.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrived at the White House on Tuesday afternoon to join discussions over Washington's next steps, according to the reports.

The United States violated the ceasefire by starting a naval blockade of Iran's ports, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday on X.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told state TV late Tuesday that Iran has not yet decided whether to join fresh peace talks since it was upset about what he called mixed messages from Washington.

UN urges resumption of US-Iran dialog, Iran envoy demands end of blockade