At the 7th Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade held in Chongqing, southwest China, Uruguay’s national pavilion drew significant attention with its dazzling display of deep violet amethyst gemstones. Visitors flocked to the booth to admire the vibrant stones and learn more about them. Uruguay, which joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2018, is seeing growing interest in not only its gemstones but also its premium beef, lamb, and dairy products in western Chinese markets.
Previously, reaching inland China posed logistical challenges and high costs for Uruguayan products. However, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a key BRI project, has changed that. The corridor has shortened delivery times by over 20 days and cut logistics costs by about 15,000 yuan per container, making cities like Chongqing more accessible. According to Uruguayan officials, China has become the largest import market for Uruguay’s national gemstone, and trade volumes continue to grow steadily each year.