Evo Morales wants to bring Bolivia and China closer together

latin american countries, like many other countries around the world, have been making nice with china as it becomes apparent that china's galloping economic growth and its desire to continue to add markets for its exports both present golden opportunities for their own economies... bolivia's president-elect, evo morales, in his globe-trotting get-acquainted tour, isn't letting any grass grow under his feet...

While on a visit to Beijing, Bolivia's President-elect, Evo Morales, has invited China to help develop his country's energy sector. One of Mr Morales' economic advisers said China could be interested in converting Bolivia's natural gas into environmentally friendly diesel. Mr Morales will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday. Correspondents say his left-wing stance and anti-US speeches may have already won him support in Beijing.

"For the government of President Morales, hydrocarbons is a fundamental topic, in particular the industrialisation of natural gas," Carlos Villegas, an economic adviser to Mr Morales, said in Beijing. "He invited the Chinese government, through its state companies, to participate." But Mr Villegas emphasised that China was not the only country Bolivia was assessing as a possible partner. "We have made the proposal in Spain and France, and now in China... It doesn't mean that we are relying only on China," Mr Villegas said.

morales has perhaps been more visible in the few short weeks since his election than another latin american president in memory... i truly hope that this bodes well for bolivia's future under his presidency...

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