Chongqing-Martin Orlando is counselor to the Embassy of Uruguay in China and has traveled to Chongqing to attend the fourth edition of WCIFIT this year in 2022. Following the successful experience as a guest country two years ago, Uruguay has continued to deepen its relationship with China and the southwest region through sister city agreements, wine, beef, and lamb transported on the BRI, and the future export of Uruguayan horses for the ever-growing equestrian market in China.

Trade and cooperation between Uruguay and Chongqing have continued to grow since the Consulate General opened in China, and so Uruguay has continued to expand its presence at this year's edition of WCIFIT, where Uruguayan companies can display their products, such as the famous exports of wine, beef, and lamb. Meanwhile, bilateral trade has continued to grow, as explained by Martin Orlando, Counsellor of the Uruguayan Embassy in China. 'We have investment from Chongqing companies in the automotive sector, which has been very important for us," said Mr. Orlando.

Meanwhile, the new Consul General of Uruguay in Chongqing, Valentin Touris, is a renowned polo player in his native Uruguay. This fits nicely with their ambitious plans to export pedigree horses from Uruguay, as China sees rapid development and popularity in the arena of horse sports. In light of these developments, the future for bilateral relations is looking bright.

'We are going to keep participating in these trade events, as well as maintaining cooperation with local authorities who have become excellent friends for us,' Mr. Orlando added.

(Liu Jingjing, Zhang Yiyi, and Li Yan, as interns, also contributed to this report.)