"Both Bolivia and China share a firm commitment to defending multilateralism and upholding the vision of the Global South," Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda said.

by He Bing, Wang Zhiying and Rene Quenallata Paredes

LA PAZ, June 30 (Xinhua) -- "Bolivia has built a very strong friendship with the brotherly Chinese people, which has fostered mutual rapprochement and facilitated the development of bilateral relations within a framework of selfless cooperation between our two countries," Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda has said.

In an interview ahead of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-Bolivia diplomatic relations, Sosa said, "It is a source of pride to celebrate 40 years of China-Bolivia bilateral relations, especially as we are also marking Bolivia's Bicentennial. These two commemorations hold special significance for the Bolivian people."

The Bolivian foreign minister highlighted the achievements made over the past four decades, emphasizing that cooperation between Bolivia and China is based on mutual respect and sincere support.

Speaking of the 2024 meeting between Bolivian President Luis Arce and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the 19th G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Sosa said the meeting enabled the two sides "to strengthen cooperation in both economic and political spheres."

In recent years, bilateral trade relations between the two countries have continued to grow, with China becoming Bolivia's largest trading partner in 2023.

According to Sosa, Bolivia now exports agricultural products such as chia seeds and beef to China. In April, Bolivia shipped its first container of 25 tons of chia seeds to China.

"Six Bolivian companies have exported a total of 708 tons, generating over 2 million U.S. dollars in revenue for the country," said Sosa, adding that Bolivia hopes to expand export channels and product varieties to China to strengthen its agricultural economy.

Beyond trade, bilateral cooperation also includes infrastructure, mining, and telecommunications. Sosa stressed the successful launch of the "Tupac Katari" satellite with Chinese assistance as a major step in improving Bolivia's telecom capabilities.

"Bolivia is one of the countries most affected by the climate crisis. Last year, wildfires; this year, we have had severe flooding, which has led to human losses and damage in the productive sector," Sosa said, emphasizing the valuable support received from China in response to these crises.

Sosa also voiced strong support for China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying that it provides vital opportunities for landlocked nations like Bolivia to enhance connectivity and technological cooperation. She added that the BRI has enabled Bolivia to make tangible progress in education, health, industry, technology and other sectors.

As of 2025, Bolivia has become a partner country of the BRICS group. Sosa said Bolivia sees the BRICS mechanism as a key platform for the Global South countries to strengthen unity and expand their participation in global governance.

"BRICS represents a politically important space. It is an emerging alternative, including in finance, for developing countries or emerging economies. We hope BRICS becomes not only a financial platform, but also a forum to address global challenges and to promote multilateralism," Sosa said.

In May, Sosa participated in the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum held in China.

Sosa said the topics proposed by China such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy and green development have opened new paths for Latin American countries to engage in global agendas and reduce development gaps.

"Both Bolivia and China share a firm commitment to defending multilateralism and upholding the vision of the Global South," Sosa said.