Socialist Uruguay dawns

COLONIA, Uruguay - In his opening weeks as Uruguay's first socialist president, Tabare Vazquez has mirrored the economic orthodoxy of his centrist predecessor while making populist political gestures, especially to labor unions and the poor.

Mr. Vazquez, 65, an oncologist, heads the leftist coalition Frente Amplio (Broad Front, in Spanish). He was sworn in March 1, ending 180 years of two-party rule.

His election in October produced an epidemic of euphoria in this town and throughout the tiny nation of more than 3 million. It also bolstered the so-called "pink tide" of leftist governments taking power in several Latin American nations disillusioned with U.S. policies and the Bush administration's preoccupation with war and terrorism.

The political groundswell that propelled Mr. Vazquez to the presidency spread his coalition's reach into rural provinces. This month, local elections catapulted Frente Amplio leaders to power in eight provinces, leaving Uruguay's traditional parties -- the Colorado and the National parties -- in charge of the 11 other provinces. Before that, the Colorado and National parties ruled all but one of Uruguay's 19 provinces.

Leading a party that includes Marxist Tupamaro guerrillas who battled the Uruguayan state in the 1960s and '70s, Mr. Vazquez began his term by reactivating diplomatic ties with Cuba that had been cut by President Jorge Batlle, a Washington ally from the centrist Colorado Party.

And guess which country has been busy enhancing its relations with Uruguay:

Jia's visit to L. America fruitful: Chinese official
www.chinaview.cn 2005-05-22 10:43:46

NADI, Fiji, May 22 (Xinhuanet) -- The just-concluded visit by Chinese top national advisor Jia Qinglin, to four Latin American countries is fruitful, said an aide of Jia on Sunday.
The visit has attained the targets of strengthening exchanges, increasing understanding, deepening friendship and promoting cooperation, said Zheng Wantong, secretary-general of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
"This visit has injected new vigor into the all-round development of China-Latin America relations," said Zheng.
It will help promote political, economic and cultural ties between China and the four Latin American countries, Zheng said.
Jia, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, visited Mexico, Cuba, Colombia and Uruguay on May 9-20.
"This is another important visit by a Chinese leader to Latin American countries and an important diplomatic activity to implement the broad consensus reached by Chinese President Hu Jintao with leaders of related Latin American countries," Zheng said.
During his visit, Jia exchanged views with leaders of the four countries on bilateral relations and other issues of common concern and reached consensus with them.
The visit has deepened political trust between China and the four countries and strengthened all-round development of bilateral relations, said Zheng.
In talks with leaders of the four countries, Jia stressed that Latin American countries and China, as developing countries, share broad common interests and there exist no conflicts in fundamental interests.
Jia told the leaders that under the present complicated and changing international situation, strengthening bilateral relations is conducive to the development of related countries and world peace and stability.
In response, leaders of the four countries all expressed their willingness to further promote bilateral relations with China in along-standing, stable and constant way and to work with China for a better future of China-Latin America relations.
Jia also expounded China's stance on the Taiwan issue and introduced the important guidelines recently set forth by President Hu on improving and strengthening cross-Straits relations.
Leaders of the four countries reiterated their adherence to a one-China policy, their support for China's reunification and their opposition to "Taiwan independence."
Jia's visit has promoted the development of economic and trade cooperation between China and the four Latin American countries and opened up a broader prospect for their all-round development in a win-win situation, said Zheng.
Jia pointed out that China, economically, is not a rival to thefour economies as they are highly complementary. Therefore, he said, one country's development is opportunity for another.
Leaders of the four Latin American countries pledged concrete measures to enhance cooperation with China in the areas of economy,trade, investment, civil aviation, tourism, energy and textiles.
Jia also used his visit to explain China's idea of peaceful development, said Zheng.
China will stay on the path of peaceful development, Jia stressed. Even if China gets more developed in the future, it will never seek hegemony, nor will it threaten any other country or harm any country's fundamental interests.
Leaders of the four countries agreed that China has become a dynamo of the world economy and China's development is of great significance to world peace and development, especially to the development of Latin America.
Jia's visit has enhanced exchanges and cooperation between CPPCC and parliaments of the four countries, and broadened mutual exchange channels, said Zheng.
Jia introduced China's multi-party cooperation and political consultation system under the leadership of the Communist Party, helping parliament leaders of the four countries to better understand the peculiar role the CPPCC is playing in China's political life and in promoting exchanges between China and the rest of the world.
All the parliament leaders of the four countries expressed their willingness to increase multi-level exchanges and cooperation with the CPPCC so as to deepen friendship between their peoples and promote all-round development of bilateral relations.
The CPPCC is China's top advisory body, consisting of representatives of the Communist Party of China, non-Communist parties, personages without party affiliation, and representatives from organizations, ethnic minorities and people of various socialstrata.
The main functions of the CPPCC are to conduct political consultation, exercise democratic supervision and participate in the discussion and handling of state affairs. Enditem

Link: ChinaView

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Jia Qinglin arrives in Uruguay for official visit
China's top national advisor Jia Qinglin arrived here on Wednesday for an official goodwill visit to Uruguay at the invitation of the Uruguayan government.
In a written statement released upon his arrival, Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said the exchange and cooperation between the CPPCC and the Uruguayan congress are an important part of the Sino-Uruguayan relations and are playing an active role in promoting the friendship between the two peoples.
During his visit, Jia is expected to meet with President Tabare Ramon Vazquez Rosas, Vice-President and President of the Uruguayan National Congress Rodolfo Gustavo Nin Noboa and other officials to exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern as well as experience in economic and social development.
In the statement, Jia expressed the belief that his visit will boost exchanges, increase mutual understanding, deepen friendship and promote cooperation, thus making a new contribution to consolidating and further developing the long-standing, stable and mutually beneficial cooperative ties between the two countries.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 17 years ago, the two countries have increased mutual understanding and friendship, and expanded exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, science and technology and culture as well as on international affairs, Jia said.
Facts have proved that strengthening cooperation between China and Uruguay is conducive to their common development and conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, he said.
Jia arrived here from Bogota after concluding his visit to Colombia. Uruguay is the last leg of his four-nation tour of Latin America. He has already visited Mexico and Cuba.
The CPPCC is China's top advisory body, consisting of representatives of the Communist Party of China and non-Communist parties, personages without party affiliation, and representatives of people's organizations, national minorities and all social strata.
The main functions of the CPPCC are to conduct political consultation, exercise democratic supervision and participate in the discussion and handling of state affairs.
Source: Xinhua

Link: People's Daily

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