China pledges to promote Venezuela partnership to new level

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Caracas, capital of Venezuela, pledged Monday to promote the strategic partnership of common development between the two countries to a new level.

Wang made the remarks while meeting separately with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua during the second stop of his Latin America tour, following a visit to Cuba.

Hailing the sound development momentum of China-Venezuela relations in the past decades, Wang said the two sides had consolidated political trust in each other, and boosted practical cooperation.

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties, China was willing to work with Venezuela to implement the consensus on deepening the bilateral relationship, reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Venezuelan President Maduro, and promote their strategic partnership of common development to a new level, Wang said.

Wang also voiced China's support for Venezuela in exploring its own development path and seeking political dialogue to end differences among all parties.

Both sides were ready to carry on the traditional friendship and promote high-level exchanges between each other, Wang said, adding they agreed to enhance collaboration on education, infrastructure, energy, finance and people-to-people exchanges.

Wang also said the China-Latin America forum would be launched this year, with the aim of enhancing cooperation with Latin American countries.

Maduro hailed the fruitful results of the strategic partnership, and expressed his willingness to promote the friendship endorsed by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Chinese leaders.

He said Venezuela would work with China to push forward the bilateral relationship and ties between China and Latin American countries.

Jaua expressed his gratitude to China for supporting its safeguarding of peace and stability in the country and said Venezuela was willing to work with China to seek common interests for peoples in both countries.

Wang will also visit Argentina and Brazil.