Amid global shifts in innovation and sustainable development, China and Uruguay are pursuing new opportunities for mutual growth with implications for broader South-South cooperation, a Uruguay scholar said.
At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi is paying a state visit to China from Feb 1 to 7. The week-long visit centers on deepening cooperation in trade and agriculture, with a particular emphasis on science and technology.
In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Hector Cancela, president of the University of the Republic of Uruguay, highlighted the role of innovation, education, and engineering in the evolving bilateral relationship.
"It's very important for us to have this kind of cooperation. Uruguay is a relatively small country and we really want to have strong relationships with different countries and in particular with China, which we know is at the forefront of technological development," he said.
Cancela emphasized that the scientific partnership between the two countries is rooted not only in knowledge exchange but in a foundation of equal engagement and mutual respect. This cooperative spirit, he noted, is essential for meaningful progress, especially in areas such as innovation and education across the Latin American region.
"I think that our cooperation is based on equal engagement and mutual respect and I think it's very important for us. Science is better when you share, when you exchange in this kind of respect framework. And we think that we have a really good opportunity now to strengthen these links. The prosperity of a people depends also on how much technology and how much knowledge you generate. So, we are looking really forward to share what we have and also of course to receive the knowledge that is generated here," he explained.
With a background in computer science, Cancela offered a glimpse into how engineering and emerging technologies are redefining collaboration, not just between nations, but across entire continents.
"This moment, technology is changing our world, every activity is shaped by technology. My own area is computing and computers, artificial intelligence, communications are all over our activities in the world at this moment. Both the universities and the companies can generate and apply this knowledge. And in all fields, the health, agriculture, the management of natural resources [are] also impacted by how we apply the technology. But it's very important to have the proper technology, not just to take a technology developed in another framework. And so, having this South-South corporation ensures that the technology actually caters to the needs of our people," he continued.
China-Uruguay innovation forges new template for South-South cooperation
