Uruguay is expecting to have more trade with China as the latter takes on a bigger economic role in South America, Uruguayan Foreign Minister Luis Almagro told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

Uruguay attaches importance to its relations with China, said Almagro, adding that both countries, whose economies are highly complementary, are interested in pushing forward cooperation.

Vice-President Xi Jinping met Almagro on Wednesday, pledging to consolidate mutual political trust and mutually beneficial cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure, industry and agriculture. "It conforms to the fundamental interests of the two states to further bolster friendly cooperation," Xi said, noting that this is a consensus between the two sides.