MONTEVIDEO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Jun on Saturday attended the inauguration ceremony of Uruguay's new President Yamandu Orsi.

On Sunday, Orsi met with Han at the presidential palace, where Han conveyed Xi's cordial greetings and best wishes to Orsi.

Since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations 37 years ago, China-Uruguay relations have maintained sound and steady development, becoming a model of mutual respect, harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation between countries with different political systems and economic sizes, said Han.

China attaches great importance to the development of China-Uruguay relations and is willing to work hand in hand with Uruguay to lift bilateral relations to higher levels so as to better benefit the two peoples, inject more stability and certainty into Latin America and the international community, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.

Orsi asked Han to convey his sincere greetings and best wishes to Xi, and sincerely thanked Xi for sending a special envoy to attend his inauguration ceremony.

Successive governments of Uruguay, he said, have attached great importance to developing relations with China, and there is broad consensus on this across all sectors of society.

The new Uruguayan government is willing to work with China to continuously deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, steadily strengthen practical cooperation in various fields, and make joint effort to defend multilateralism and free trade and cope with global challenges, he added.