SAN SALVADOR, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- El Salvador's newly-established diplomatic ties with China have generated "great hope" for increased cooperation and development opportunities, a Salvadoran official said.

Roberto Lorenzana, press secretary to President Salvador Sanchez Ceren, spoke with Xinhua about the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

On Tuesday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Salvadorean Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda signed a joint communique in Beijing, establishing diplomatic relations.

Though the announcement was made earlier this week, the process began as early as 2009, said Lorenzana.

"So it is not a sudden development, but (the result) of several years of dialogue. Things gradually matured until reaching complete maturation and the right conditions to make the announcement," said Lorenzana.

El Salvador's establishment of ties with China, he noted, is an extension of a regionwide trend to build ties with China, including the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum.

"I think the fact that other regional countries similar to ours have also established ties with China created a much more favorable environment for El Salvador," he said.

China's successful development sets a model for other developing nations which are willing to learn from its experience, Lorenzana said.

"We are anxious to make progress on talks to strengthen trade and investment. We are very interested in promoting investment. El Salvador has free trade agreements with 41 countries, so Chinese investment in our country implies taking advantage of these accords," he said.

Boosting trade, cooperation and investment are El Salvador's priorities, and the government is working on ways to attract more Chinese investors, as well as tourists, he said.

As political dialogue, cultural exchanges and economic cooperation expand, El Salvador's relationship with China will make a "strategic leap," Lorenzana predicted.

Establishing diplomatic ties "is a pragmatic political decision to go with the times, to move forward in history," he said.