Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday during his visit to Argentina that he hoped the legislative bodies of China and Argentina could enhance exchanges and mutual learning so as to help promote bilateral ties.

The visiting Chinese leader expressed his hope when meeting Amado Boudou, Argentina's vice president and head of the Senate, or the upper house of the Argentine National Congress, and Julian Dominguez, president of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house.

The Argentine National Congress embodies the country's public opinion, and its support to developing China-Argentina ties has cemented China's determination for friendly cooperation, Xi said.

He spoke highly of the exchanges between China's National People's Congress (NPC) and the Argentine National Congress, which helped enrich the content of bilateral relations.

The president arrived Friday for a state visit to Argentina, the second leg of his four-nation Latin America tour. According to Xi, he has had fruitful talks with his Argentine counterpart Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on Friday, when they decided to upgrade the two countries' relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

"The China-Argentina relations now stand at a new starting point in history," he stressed, noting that the two sides should see each other as development opportunities and partners, and boost mutually beneficial cooperation in an effort to promote common development.

For their part, the two leaders of the Argentine National Congress lauded Xi's visit as a boost to mutual trust and cooperation, and for its profound impact in promoting bilateral relations.

Argentina-China cooperation is conducive to achieving common development, intensifying the unity and cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries, and promoting the establishment of a more just and rational international order, said the two leaders.

Before Argentina, Xi had visited Brazil, where he paid a state visit to the country, attended the sixth BRICS summit and met leaders of Latin American and Caribbean nations. His Latin America tour will also take him to Venezuela and Cuba.

Venezuelan Vice Foreign Affairs Minister for Asia, Xoan Noya, said in a recent interview with the Xinhua News Agency that the country holds high expectations for President Xi's upcoming visit after important results have been yielded through friendly and pragmatic bilateral cooperation.

The minister voiced his belief that Xi's visit will chart the course for the future development of bilateral ties. The two countries will continue to deepen political mutual trust, expand cooperation in various areas and strengthen cultural exchanges.

"Venezuela's future development requires a large amount of advanced science and technology, which makes cooperation with China indispensable. What we believe, in this regard, is entirely consistent with China's independent and peaceful foreign policy. China has proved to be our friendly and reliable partner and an important power in safeguarding regional as well as world peace and stability," Noya said.

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