Colombian president concludes China visit

BEIJING - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos left Shanghai for home on Saturday, concluding his five-day state visit to China.

Santos said this visit has great significance in promoting bilateral relations, and he expressed satisfaction over the cooperative agreements signed between the two countries.

In 2011, trade between the two countries reached 8.2 billion U.S. dollars, according to statistics.

Noting that China has become Colombia's second-largest trading partner, Santos said the cooperation between the two countries is conducive to the cooperation between the Latin America and Asia-Pacific regions.

During his meeting with Han Zheng, mayor of Shanghai, Santos reviewed the success of the Shanghai World Expo in 2010, noting that Colombia is willing to learn from the theme "Better City, Better Life" in its urban planning.

Han welcomed Colombia to open a consulate general in Shanghai. He said Shanghai will play its role as an economic and port hub and act as a platform for bilateral cooperation.

Santos arrived in Shanghai on Thursday evening, marking the first time he has visited China since being elected president in 2010.