09:40 | Sanya, China, Apr. 06 (ANDINA).
Peruvian President Ollanta Humala said Saturday that the just-signed cooperation agreements between his country and China have upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
"We have signed important agreements including that in the agriculture field to develop a food security policy. This involves Peru because we have given mankind genetic material that had saved the world from famine," Humala said after attending the signing of varios bilateral agreements in the Chinese city of Sanya.
The president, who is on a five-day state visit to China, said that his country aims to popularize the consumption of quinoa, especially considering that 2013 was declared the International Year of Quinoa.
Humala noted that the Andean country is working on projects to promote agricultural research, forest protection and phytosanitary measures and also highlighted the agreements reached in the field of education.
"China will quintuple the scholarships offered to Peruvians, that's important because it includes teaching the Chinese language in Peru," he said. "This partnership will also lead us to work on other issues such as the struggle for peace and against corruption."
Peru at Boao Forum
Commenting on Peru's participation in the Boao Forum for Asia, President Humala said that the Peruvian delegation -including the ministers of transport and communications as well as energy and mines- will promote Peru to attending Asian investors.
"We will talk about the project portfolio in the agriculture and the energy and mines sectors, in addition to the petrochemical complex, power generation and phosphate initiatives. China is the largest trading partner of Peru and Asia in general is important for Latin America," he said.
Finally, the president stressed that all these issues marked the beginning of a new level of relations between Peru and China, which involves the creation of a positive environment for Chinese investment.
"We're getting to be a state that has word and becomes a predictable country, it is important that companies and the Peruvian people know what we want and where we go. Now we are taking a very important step that takes us down the same path with China and we want to be a better partner for them," he said.
(END) NDP/GCO/EEP
Published: 4/6/2013