Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged closer ties between his country and Latin America and the Caribbean region?in?Santiago?on Tuesday.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech at the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago, June 26, 2012. [Xinhua]

In a speech at the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC), Wen called for the promotion of strategic cooperation, trade, and food security.

China and ECLAC countries should build on political mutual trust and deepen strategic cooperation, Wen said.

China proposes the establishment of a China-Latin America cooperation forum in order to elevate the platform for comprehensive cooperation, he said, adding that China is willing to set up a regular foreign ministers' dialogue mechanism and discuss the establishment of a regular meeting mechanism among Chinese and Latin American leaders.

Wen called for expanding common interests of China and Latin America, taking economic and trade cooperation as priority.

China and the ECLAC countries should strive toward the goal of increasing the two-way trade to 400 billion U.S. dollars in five years, said Wen.

Chinese financial institutions will allocate 5 billion dollars to initiate a China-Latin America cooperation fund for joint investment in cooperation projects in manufacturing, high and new technology and sustainable development, and the Chinese side will also initiate a 10-billion-dollar special loan to support infrastructure cooperation between the two sides, he said.

Moreover, China is ready to discuss and sign currency swap agreements with more ECLAC countries, said the Chinese leader.

Wen asked for the promotion of China-Latin America food security through agricultural cooperation.

China proposes to launch a forum for Chinese and Latin American agriculture ministers, a China-Latin America mechanism of emergency food reserves of half a million tons, and an agricultural cooperation and development special fund, he said.

Meanwhile, China is willing to set up research and development centers for agriculture technology, demonstration industrial parks for farm product processing and development zones for agriculture investment in Latin America, said Wen.

He also asked for the exchange of agricultural experts and technicians and hoped that the farm product trade between the two sides could grow significantly.

Wen also urged people-to-people and cultural exchanges to strengthen China-Latin American friendship. The Chinese government encourages the opening of Chinese culture centers in Latin America and will offer 5,000 scholarships for Latin American students in the next five years, he said.

China proposes to establish a forum for technological innovation to enhance cooperation in aviation, space, new energy, environment, as well as oceanic and polar sciences and research, Wen said.

China's development is bringing it ever closer to the rest of the world. The closer relationships are in the interests of the Chinese people and are bringing benefits to peoples around the world, including Latin America, said the Chinese leader.

Fast-rising Latin America has become an important power and is playing an increasingly important role on key issues such as global governance and sustainable development, he said.

As the world is undergoing profound changes, closer China-Latin America cooperation and better relations are in the interests of both sides and are conducive to global balance, prosperity and stability, Wen said.

ECLAC, a regional economic committee under the UN Economic and Social Council, was established in 1948. It is aimed at promoting regional economic and social development and boosting economic cooperation between its 44 member countries.

Wen arrived in Chile on Monday for an official visit. Later on Tuesday, he left Santiago, concluding his South America tour, which had also taken him to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.