China to continue developing strategic partnership with Venezuela

China is willing to further develop bilateral strategic partnership with Venezuela, Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy said here Saturday.

E'uigen Iminbaha, vice-chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee and the special envoy of Xi, made the remarks during his meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

E'uigen Iminbaha congratulated Maduro on his inauguration as Venezuelan president and presented him a handwritten letter of congratulations from Xi.

Maduro thanked China for sending a special envoy to attend his swearing-in ceremony and expressed deep condolences to the victims of Saturday's devastating earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan province.

The two sides reached consensus in further strengthening strategic cooperation ties between the two countries in the fields of petroleum, finance, industry, agriculture, science and technology.

Before the meeting, E'uigen Iminbaha, accompanied by Maduro, paid tribute to the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez before his grave.

Maduro was sworn in as Venezuela's president on Friday at a ceremony held in the National Assembly in Caracas, the national capital of Venezuela, with the attendance of 61 foreign delegations and 17 heads of state or government.