国内英语资讯:Spotlight: China, Ecuador upgrade relations to comprehensive strategic partnership_时事

国内英语资讯:Spotlight: China, Ecuador upgrade relations to comprehensive strategic partnership

QUITO, Nov. 19 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Ecuadoran counterpart, Rafael Correa, have decided to upgrade their countries's ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The decision was announced in a joint statement issued by the two presidents after their meeting Thursday in Quito.

Xi's state visit to Ecuador on Thursday and Friday is the first by a Chinese president since the two countries established diplomatic ties 36 years ago.

"This visit has served to raise the level of our ties and formalize a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest level of relations China has with any country in the world," Correa told a press conference after his meeting with Xi.

On Thursday, the two heads of state also witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements in production capacity, investment, industrial parks, and technology.

Correa said that the two foreign ministries will enhance cooperation to broaden consensus and consolidate political mutual trust.

In the past nine years, relations have reached "uNPRecedented" levels on the basis of political trust and mutual help, pragmatic cooperation, cultural and talent exchanges and multilateral coordination, Correa said.

Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Guillaume Long said Thursday that relations with China have benefited the Latin American country.

"With this relationship, we are consolidating the transformation of our economy, helping to change our primary export model to one that can develop added-value products ... accelerating the process of industrialization and raising our capacity for independent development," he said.