Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi engaged with educators and students at the Beijing Foreign Studies University(BFSU) on Wednesday, sharing his reflections on the "China miracle," the importance of cooperation, and the enduring stability of China-Uruguay relations amid a challenging global landscape.
Speaking at the university, Orsi, who arrived in Beijing on Sunday, said his week-long visit to China was driven by a desire to better understand the country's remarkable development journey, as well as to further gauge how China has maintained strong and lasting ties with Latin America.
He described the current international environment as turbulent, while highlighting the stability of relations between China and Uruguay during these difficult geopolitical times.
During the exchange, scholars and students at BFSU raised questions on a range of topics from bilateral relations to historical influences.
"President Orsi said he hopes Uruguay will be seen as a country of peace and stability. He continuously drew evidence from history to inspire everyone. That left a very deep impression on me. I will share my exchange with the President with my students first thing next semester," said Shi Yan, a lecturer at the university’s School of Hispanic and Portuguese Studies.
"I think it's very important to have good relations between countries. In this case, Uruguay is a small country in Latin America, and I think it sets a good example of what my country, in my case, Mexico, should be doing here," said David Hernandez, an exchange student at the university.
A Chinese student also performed a well-known song from Uruguayan singer and songwriter Ana Prada at the event, with an impressed Orsi later personally calling up the singer to speak with the student, further adding to the warmth of the occasion and reflecting the strong bond between the two sides.
Orsi is paying a week-long visit from February 1 to 7 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, coinciding with the 38th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
He is the first leader from Latin America to visit China in 2026, following visits by leaders from Ireland, South Korea, Canada, Finland and Britain.
Uruguayan president visits university, highlights stable China-Uruguay ties
