On March 20, 2021 local time, the third batch of COVID-19 vaccines provided by China arrived in Bogota, the capital city of Colombia. At the invitation of Colombian President Ivan Duque, President Xi Jinping delivered a video speech to the Colombian people.
Xi Jinping pointed out "even mountains and seas cannot distance people with common aspiration." The vast Pacific Ocean cannot stand in the way of the profound friendship between the Chinese and Colombian people. Over the past 41 years since the establishment of the diplomatic ties between the two countries, the China-Colombia relations have achieved historic development. China has become Colombia's second largest trading partner and China-invested enterprises actively participate in Colombia's development in various fields. Cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides are flourishing, and the China-Colombia friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.
Xi Jinping stressed that in the face of the unexpected COVID-19 outbreak, the two countries have worked in unity to help each other overcome difficulties and actively carried out anti-pandemic cooperation. Not long ago, two batches of Chinese vaccines purchased by Colombia have arrived in the country, and the latest batch of vaccines arrived today to help boost the national vaccination program of Colombia. China hopes that the governments and peoples of the two countries will make joint efforts to strengthen friendly cooperation in various fields including the anti-pandemic fight, so as to elevate China-Colombia friendly cooperation to a new level from a new historical starting point and bring more benefits to the two peoples.
On the day, President Duque, who was on a tour of inspection, held a special ceremony and broadcasted Xi's speech to the whole country. He expressed gratitude to President Xi Jinping and the brotherly Chinese people for their deep friendship to the Colombian people and their important support to Colombia's fight against the pandemic. Developing relations with China is a broad consensus among different political groups in Colombia. Colombia is ready to work with China to continuously deepen bilateral relations.
