Local people welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping in Lima, Peru. Xi arrived on Thursday for a state visit to Peru and the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. Feng Yongbin / China Daily

President Xi Jinping stressed the belief that his ongoing state visit to Peru will elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations to new heights and lead to even greater progress across various sectors.

The president arrived in Lima on Thursday afternoon for his second state visit to the country and the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

"Stepping once more onto this historical, beautiful and resource-rich land, I feel a profound sense of connection," Xi said in written remarks delivered at the airport.

He noted that the friendship between China and Peru runs deep, with ties reaching back more than 400 years to when the two peoples began exchanges through the Maritime Silk Road and the Manila galleons, also known as "The China Ship".

China has been Peru's largest trading partner and export market for 10 years, with significant projects in mining and infrastructure development bringing tangible benefits to both peoples, he pointed out.

Xi said he will hold talks with Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra to conduct in-depth exchanges on China-Peru relations, practical cooperation across various fields, and international and regional issues of shared concern.

The two leaders will also jointly inaugurate the Chancay Port, a project of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Xi expressed his expectations for the APEC meeting, stressing his readiness to work with various parties to advance an open Asia-Pacific economy, promote global economic growth and strengthen collective efforts to build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future.