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News > Latin America

China's President Xi Arrives in Ecuador on Historic Trip

  • President Rafael Correa and President Xi Jinping during a state visit to China in 2015.

    President Rafael Correa and President Xi Jinping during a state visit to China in 2015. | Photo: Andes

Published 17 November 2016
Opinion

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived on Thursday to Ecuador to inaugurate a hydroelectric plan, the country's biggest investment in history.

China's President Xi Jinping arrived in Ecuador on Thursday — the first visit by a Chinese president to the Andean nation — to inaugurate a historic hydroelectric plant featuring major investment capital from his country.

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The Chinese president arrived with his wife, Peng Liyuan, members of his cabinet, a delegation from the Communist Party of China and businessmen. They were welcomed by Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa at the Mariscal Sucre airport in Quito.

During the two-day state visit, Xi will inaugurate the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant. At US$2 billion, the project has created about 6,500 on-site jobs and 15,000 off-site jobs. To add to this, the Chinese leader signed several bilateral agreements in the economic and cultural sectors.

"Welcome to the most compact and megadiverse country on the planet,” said Correa. “Ecuador, a republic of opportunities, welcomes you with open arms."

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President Correa thanked the Chinese leader for his nation’s support during the aftermath of the April earthquake that hit the coastal areas of the country. 

“There is a clear political will of our governments to create a strong bond based on trust, respect, and mutual complementarity," he said.

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Xi said both China and Ecuador are united by a long friendship that has been consolidated through mutual political trust and has resulted in "fruitful... practical cooperation."

"My visit is the first of a Chinese president to this country since the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries... There is a strong will to develop binational links,” he added.

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