LIMA, Peru (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Peru is set to deepen political mutual trust, consolidate the traditional friendship between the two countries, and mark a new milestone in the development of bilateral relations, said Chinese Ambassador to Peru Jia Guide.

Xi arrived in Peru on Friday to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting and pay a State visit to the Latin American country.

Jia noted that this year is the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Peru. Over the years, thanks to joint efforts, China-Peru relations have embarked on the track of rapid and stable development, with remarkable achievements in various fields of co-operation.

Political trust between the two countries is solid, said the ambassador. In recent years, the two countries have witnessed frequent high-level visits that helped deepen political mutual trust and improve cooperation mechanisms.

The two countries treat each other with respect and maintained close communication in international affairs, Jia said, adding that the two sides have also maintained close coordination in multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and APEC.

Noting that Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski visited China in September, his first trip abroad after taking office, Jia said that the exchange of visits between the two heads of state within three months fully reflects the height of political mutual trust between the two sides.

China is Peru’s largest trading partner, biggest export destination, and Peru is among the first countries to conduct production-capacity cooperation with China, said Jia.

The ambassador also said that mutual investment has grown. Major projects in energy and mining have been pushed forward steadily while pragmatic cooperation has been extended to fields such as infrastructure and manufacturing. Chinese mobile phones, cars and construction machinery are popular in Peru, and Peru’s avocados, grapes, and alpaca products are attracting a growing number of Chinese consumers.

Cultural exchanges between the two countries are also productive, said Jia. Both China and Peru have a long history and splendid culture and their exchanges in education, culture, science and technology, sports and other areas have become increasingly active.

Four Confucius Institutes in Peru have triggered a fever to learn the Chinese language. In November, a series of activities marking the end of the China-Latin America and Caribbean Year of Cultural Exchange will be held in Peru.