Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Sunday held talks with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in the northern Colombian port city of Cartagena.

Xi first transferred the sincere regards of Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao to Uribe, and expressed his thanks to Uribe for specially coming here to meet the Chinese delegation.

Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping meets with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in Cartagena, a port city of Colombia, on Feb. 15, 2009. [Ma Zhancheng/Xinhua]

Xi said the two peoples have enjoyed long friendship, which is deep-rooted in their hearts, despite the long distance between the two countries.

He mentioned Uribe's visit to the Chinese embassy last May to mourn the victims in the devastating quake in Sichuan province in southwestern China, and the Colombian government's statement to express its condolences to the victims.

He also said that after Colombia was struck by severe floods not long ago, the Chinese government provided aid to the South American country.

Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping meets with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in Cartagena, a port city of Colombia, on Feb. 15, 2009. [Ma Zhancheng/Xinhua]

These moves reflected the deep friendship between the two peoples, said Xi, who arrived in Colombia Saturday for a three-day visit.

He said bilateral relations have made great headway in recent years under the care of the two countries' leaders.