Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrived in Kingston Wednesday evening for an official visit to Jamaica after wrapping up a three-day visit to Mexico, the first leg of his six-nation tour.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (L) is greeted by Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding upon his arrival in Kingston, capital of Jamaica, on Feb. 11, 2009. Jamaica is the second leg of Xi's six-nation tour, which has taken him to Mexico and will take him to Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Malta. [Xinhua]

During his stay in Mexico, Xi held talks with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Senate President Gustavo Enrique Madero Munoz and Cesar Duarte Jaquez, president of the Chamber of Deputies. Xi also addressed a luncheon hosted by Chinese and Mexican entrepreneurs.

During Xi's meeting with President Calderon Tuesday, both leaders pledged to further expand bilateral pragmatic cooperation.

Xi said China always treats China-Mexico ties from a strategic height and regards Mexico as a good friend and partner of China in Latin America.

As major developing countries, China and Mexico share similar stances and common interests in fighting the international global financial crisis, said the Chinese vice president.

He said much work remains to be done in the following three aspects:

First, the two countries should make full use of the mechanism of the permanent committees between the two countries to implement their joint action plans, and map out detailed plans to cooperate in various fields, he said.

Second, China and Mexico should strengthen political dialogue and cultural and personnel exchanges, and enhance communication on major international and regional issues and coordination in multilateral mechanisms.

Third, both countries should deepen pragmatic cooperation and, in a spirit of mutual respect and reciprocity, seek a proper solution to the problems in their trade and economic relations, Xi said.

China is ready to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries to expand cooperation and strive to build a partnership of all-round cooperation based on equality, mutual benefit and common development, he said.

After Jamaica, the vice president will head to Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Malta. His trip will end on Feb. 22.

(Xinhua News Agency February 12, 2009)