Uruguay President Orsi deepens ties with China’s Xi despite Trump threats

President Yamandu Orsi is the first Latin American leader to visit China since the US military abducted Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.Published On 3 Feb 2026China and Uruguay have moved to deepen their strategic partnership despite pressure from United States President Donald Trump to keep Chinese influence out of Latin America.The two countries signed a dozen cooperation agreements on Tuesday in areas such as science, technology, and trade following a meeting between Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Musk merges SpaceX and xAI firms, plans for space-based AI data centreslist 2 of 4Jobs, cash, loans: Can Bangladesh’s parties deliver on election promises?list 3 of 4The drones being used in Sudan: 1,000 attacks since April 2023list 4 of 4Trickle of Palestinians get to leave, enter Gaza as Rafah crossing reopensend of listOrsi said in a post on social media that Uruguay is “pursuing an active international engagement, strengthening long-term ties, and creating new opportunities for the country’s development”.Xi spoke to the Uruguayan leader about the need to promote a “multipolar world and inclusive economic globalisation” while working together for “common development” as they deepen their “comprehensive strategic partnership”, according to a Chinese readout of the meeting.Orsi’s seven-day trip to China began on Sunday and will next take him to Shanghai. A 150-person delegation, including business leaders and other government officials, is accompanying the president.His trip is being closely watched as he becomes the first Latin American leader to visit China since US special forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a bloody night raid on Caracas in early January.Orsi said in the immediate aftermath of Maduro’s abduction that Uruguay rejected the use of military intervention but later added that his removal was “good news, insofar as the authoritarian regime ceases to exist and democracy emerges”, according to local media.