Top Chinese legislator starts Peru visit

China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang on Thursday arrived in Lima, capital of Peru, to start an official goodwill visit intended to promote relations between the national legislatures of China and Peru and between the two countries.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, is making the four-day visit at the invitation of President of Peruvian Congress Ana Maria Solorzano.

This is the first ever visit to Peru by a top Chinese legislator since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1971.

During his stay in Lima, Zhang will meet with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala Tasso and hold talks with Solorzano.

Zhang's visit will serve to deepen understanding between the national legislatures of China and Peru, promote bilateral cooperation and exchanges, strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, and ultimately contribute to greater global peace and justice, Chinese Ambassador to Peru Huang Minhui said.

China-Peru ties have been reinforced in recent years, Huang said, recalling that the two countries dicided to lift relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Humala's state visit to China in 2013, during which he met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

In this regard, Huang added, Zhang's visit is a clear evidence of the growing trust between the two countries.

China is now Peru's second largest trading partner, the largest export market and the second largest source of imports. Two-way trade reached 14.66 billion US dollars in 2013, a year-on-year rise of 6.26 percent.

According to Huang, the Latin American country's exports to China are being optimized, with increase of nontraditional exports including fresh fruits and grains.

China, in turn, supplies Peru with consumer goods, capital goods, construction materials, raw materials and intermediate products.

Peru is the first leg of Zhang's ongoing nine-day Latin America tour, which will also take him to Colombia and Mexico.