Bolivia

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

The friendly and cooperative relations between the People's Republic of China and the Plurinational State of Bolivia grew steadily in 2013.

The two countries maintained high-level exchanges. In December, Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales Ayma paid a state visit to China and traveled to Xichang to witness the launch of a Bolivian communication satellite. Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca Céspedes, Minister of Development Planning Elba Viviana Caro and Defense Minister Rubén Saavedra Soto were with him. President Xi Jinping held talks with President Morales, and Premier Li Keqiang and NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang met him separately. The two sides signed the Agreement Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia on Economic and Technical Cooperation, the Exchange of Notes on Supply of Construction Machinery by the Government of the People's Republic of China to the Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and the Memorandum of Understanding on National Program of Preventive Technology for Public Safety. In June, Bolivian Minister of Agriculture Nemesia Achacollo Tola led a delegation to China for the China-Latin America and the Caribbean Agricultural Ministers' Forum and held talks with Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu. In September, Minister Achacollo paid another visit to China. He met Minister Han and the two sides signed the Framework Agreement Between the People's Republic of China and the Plurinational State of Bolivia on Agricultural Cooperation. Leonida Zurita Vargas, member of the National Leadership Council of the ruling party Movement for Socialism and Secretary of its International Relations, led a party delegation to China.

The two countries enjoyed growing exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, energy, mining, infrastructure, agriculture, hightechnology and culture. China is Bolivia's fourth biggest trading partner, the third largest source of import and the seventh largest export destination. In 2013, two-way trade stood at US$809 million, up 20% over 2012. The two sides accelerated such cooperation projects as the development of Lake Salar de Coipasa, the asphalt plant in El Alto and the sugarhouse in San Buenaventura, and supported the export of Bolivian agriculture products such as quinoa, soybean and wine to China. The communication satellite Tupak Katari that China developed for Bolivia was launched in the early hours of 21 December Beijing time.

The two countries maintained close communication and cooperation on major international issues including UN affairs and the climate change.

Source: fmprc.gov.cn