President Armandu Orsi is the first Latin American leader to visit China since the U.S. military kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

China and Uruguay continue to deepen strategic partnership despite pressure from US President Donald Trump China’s influence extends beyond Latin America.

Uruguayan President Armandu Orsi and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed more than a dozen cooperation agreements in areas including science, technology and trade on Tuesday following a meeting in Beijing.

Orsi said in a social media post that Uruguay was “seeking active international engagement to strengthen long-term relations and create new opportunities for the country’s development.”

According to Chinese minutes of the meeting, Xi Jinping told Uruguayan leaders that in the process of deepening the “comprehensive strategic partnership”, it is necessary to promote “a multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization” and work together for “common development.”

Orsi’s seven-day trip to China begins on Sunday and will next go to Shanghai. The president was accompanied by a delegation of 150 people, including business leaders and other government officials.

His trip is being closely watched as he becomes the first Latin American leader to visit China since U.S. special forces kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a bloody nighttime raid in Caracas in early January.

According to local media, Orsi said immediately after Maduro’s abduction that Uruguay rejected the use of military intervention, but later added that his expulsion was “good news because the dictatorship no longer exists and democracy appears.”

Even so, Orsi’s dealings with China could still anger Trump, who is trying to Reaffirming U.S. dominance Over the Western Hemisphere.

As part of that vision, the U.S. aims to ensure the region is “free from hostile foreign aggression,” according to the White House’s November 2025 National Security Strategy — which almost means China.

William Young, senior Northeast Asia analyst at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that Orsi was sending a signal to the United States that he would not “block” developing ties with China despite Trump’s warnings.

Yang Jiechi said: “He led a delegation of 150 people, including business leaders, and this trip sent a message that China remains the largest economic and trading partner of Latin American countries and that they remain committed to continuing to engage with Beijing.”

China is Uruguay’s largest export market for beef, soybeans and dairy products, which were worth $3.49 billion last year, according to information posted on Orsi’s Facebook account. Uruguay also imported $2.8 billion in goods from China last year.

Orsi is not the only leader willing to engage with China despite Washington’s displeasure.

The Uruguayan leader’s trip follows recent visits British Prime Minister Keir StarmerCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Finnish Prime Minister Petri Orpo and French President Emmanuel Macron.

“It is important to note that this trend does not mean that countries are starting to fundamentally move away from the United States,” Yang said.

“Instead, they are looking to recalibrate themselves from the world’s top two economies,” he said.

Yang added that China has also used meetings with world leaders to send the message that it is a reliable diplomatic partner and one that prioritizes relationship building – unlike the Trump administration.