CCTV9英语新闻：中智企业家坐无虚席圣地亚哥响起“强音”

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has addressed a meeting of business officials in Santiago, the last stop of his first official tour to Latin America. The premier's speech at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean or ECLAC, demonstrated Beijing's sincerity in promoting China-Latin America ties for mutual benefit.

 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a speech at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), in Santiago, Chile, May 25, 2015. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a speech at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), in Santiago, Chile, May 25, 2015. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

 

On his last leg of the a four-nation tour to Latin America, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for trade liberalisation and the strengthening of bilateral ties between China and Chile.

 

The premier said that China opposes trade protectionism and wants to build mechanisms to facilitate bilateral trade.

 

China remains the top trading partner for Chile, accounting for about 24 percent of the Andean nation's exports.

 

For his part, ECLAC Deputy Executive Secretary Antonio Prado said there's space for cooperation.

 

China has the ability to produce machines and build infrastructure, while Latin America has a shortage in this area.

 

Economies in Latin America have been undergoing a transition.

 

Premier Li stressed China will pay attention to integration with local communities and protection of the environment while strengthening cooperation.

 

The nine-day tour also took Li to Colombia, Peru and Brazil, where deals worth $53 billion were signed, mainly focused on upgrading Brazil's infrastructure.

 

China is the second largest trade partner of Latin America.

 

In 2014, two-way trade hit 263.6 billion U.S. dollars.

 

That figure is likely to double by 2025 according to Li.