Maduro visit opens new chapter in China-Vnezuela friendship: Chinese official

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's fruitful visit to China opened a new chapter for bilateral relations between the two countries, said a Chinese official while highlighting the newly announced all-weather strategic partnership as a significant outcome.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and the visiting Venezuelan president held talks in Beijing on Wednesday and announced the elevation of ties between the two countries to an all-weather strategic partnership.

Cai Wei, Director-General of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who greeted Maduro at his arrival, said Xi and Maduro have reached broad and important agreements after in-depth talks.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela is paying a state visit to China from Sept 8 to 14. Just now, President Xi held a grand welcoming ceremony for President Maduro and also held talks with him. The two heads of state exchanged in-depth views on China-Venezuela relations, pragmatic cooperation and international and regional issues of mutual interest and reached broad and important consensus," Cai said.

"The two heads of state jointly announced the elevation of China-Venezuela relations to an all-weather strategic partnership. This is a significant milestone in the course of China-Venezuela relations. It will surely promote the expansion of China-Venezuela ties and pragmatic cooperation in various fields towards higher standards, on a deeper level and across more areas, bringing more benefits to the peoples of the two countries, better safeguarding the common interests of developing countries, and adding more momentum to world peace and development," he said.

During the two presidents' talks, Xi spoke highly of bilateral relations and reaffirmed China's support to Venezuela on a number of core issues.

"President Xi stressed in their talks that China and Venezuela are good friends who trust each other and are good partners for common development. He said that China views its relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective, and it will continue to firmly support Venezuela's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, national dignity, and social stability, as well as Venezuela's just cause of opposing external interference," Cai said.

Cai noted that in addition to the elevation of the partnership, a total of 18 agreements were signed during the fruitful visit, covering cooperation in various fields.

"President Maduro's visit yielded fruitful results. The two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of an all-weather strategic partnership between China and Venezuela. The two heads of state witnessed the signing of 18 cooperation agreements, covering Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthening cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, education, tourism, science and technology, health, aerospace, civil aviation and media," he said.

Cai expressed confidence in the newly announced partnership to usher in a even brighter future for China-Venezuela relations.

"This is President Maduro's third state visit to China and his fifth visit to China since assuming the presidency. This visit renews the traditional friendship between China and Venezuela and starts a new chapter in China-Venezuela friendship, fully demonstrating the high-quality development of bilateral relations. It is believed that the China-Venezuela all-weather strategic partnership will power ahead to a broader and brighter future under the strategic leadership of the two heads of the state," Cai said.