Chinese president hosts Colombian leader for talks

ISTANBUL

China’s President Xi Jinping on Wednesday hosted visiting Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro for official talks.

Petro is on a three-day state visit to China at the invitation of Xi, which began on Tuesday.

The two sides held talks after official ceremony at Great Hall of the People in the capital Beijing.

Earlier, Petro and his delegation also held talks with China's National People's Congress chairman Zhao Leji.

China is the second-largest trading partner of the South American nation and this year the two nations are celebrating 43 years of diplomatic relations.

It was in 1980 that Colombia switched relations from Taiwan to Beijing.