China's collaboration with Ecuador on the Belt and Road Initiative figured prominently during President Xi Jinping's meeting with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa in Beijing on Friday.

Witnessed by the two leaders, the two sides signed a cooperation plan for jointly advancing the building of the Belt and Road — the latest milestone since Ecuador joined the BRI in 2018.

In January, Xi and Noboa had exchanged congratulatory messages to mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

During their meeting on Friday, Xi described bilateral relations as "having maintained a good momentum in its development".

"Ecuador has joined the big family of the Belt and Road Initiative, and China and Ecuador have signed a free trade agreement, carrying out fruitful cooperation in areas such as energy, mining, power and infrastructure construction," Xi said.

China "has always viewed and developed relations with Ecuador from a strategic and long-term perspective", and is willing to work with Ecuador to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi added.

Xi encouraged both sides to carry out key cooperation projects effectively, boost bilateral trade, enhance exchanges in education, culture, media and youth, and implement the outcomes of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum.

Noboa, who came to China to attend the 2025 Summer Davos forum in Tianjin, said he admires China's development achievements, and his country will always remember China's great support and assistance for its social and economic development.

The two countries have long adhered to mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and have successfully carried out extensive cooperation, he added.

After the China-Ecuador free trade agreement took effect in May 2024, Ecuador's exports to China from May to December last year reached $5.78 billion, up 10.1 percent year-on-year.

In the first quarter of this year, the bilateral trade registered $3.92 billion, a year-on-year increase of 34.2 percent, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Economic and trade cooperation has always been a stabilizer and a propeller of bilateral relations, "bringing tangible benefits to the people of the two countries", Chen Guoyou, the then Chinese ambassador to Ecuador, said at a celebration event in April.

On Friday, Xi stressed that the two countries should be good friends that respect and trust each other and good partners that seek common development.

He called on both sides to continue supporting each other's core interests and major concerns, and increase exchanges on state governance.

On his part, Noboa said Ecuador looks forward to deepening relations with China and increasing cooperation in the fields of trade, science and technology, culture, education and youth.

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