Within a mere week’s time, 31 fresh agreements were penned, all dedicated to constructing a Community of Shared Destiny, Special Economic Zones and technological advancements. On this 50th anniversary of his US-backed coup, Salvador Allende’s enduring spirit thrives within our hearts.
The BRICS+ initiative gave birth to the Multipolar World this year. While the G20 Summit was held in New Delhi, President Xi Jinping remained in China, extending a warm and friendly welcome to President Nicolás Maduro Moros of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela during his tour from September 8 to 14, 2023, reaffirming their status as strategic partners. President Nicolás Maduro’s official tour showcased advances in various areas, including technology, health, education, productive development, industry, agriculture, artificial intelligence for the economy, and tourism, among others. It also established twinned development bridges between four special economic zones in Venezuela and three Chinese provinces.
The bridges of commercial and technological development connect the special economic zones of the State of La Guaira and Shenzhen, the state of Carabobo and the province of Shanghai, and the states of Anzoátegui and Monagas and the province of Shandong, resulting in greater investments in cutting-edge technology and the presence of the most advanced Chinese companies. This south-south cooperation has been intensifying with twinning agreements.
Let us review some agreements from president Nicolás Maduro’s official tour of the People’s Socialist Republic of China:
Shenzhen (September 8): President Nicolás Maduro Moros landed in Shenzhen, the technological capital of China, on Friday, September 8, as part of his official tour of the week-long high-level joint commission. Shenzhen is a city in southeast China characterized by its technological advances. He visited the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Urban Planning Exhibition. From there, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the National Superintendency of Special Economic Zones of Venezuela and the Research Center for Special Economic Zones of Shenzhen University, which establishes the modernization of these zones to guarantee productivity, security, social justice, and a sustainable environment between both nations.
Shanghai (September 9): President Maduro and the high-level comisssion’s second stop in the Socialist Republic was Shanghai, the financial epicenter and headquarters of the BRICS+ Bank. Here, Maduro participated in the Import Fair with the purpose of attracting new investments to diversify the economy. He visited the main headquarters of the BRICS+ Development Bank and held a meeting with its president, Comrade Dilma Rousseff, discussing the impact of this entity on the construction of a new world economic system. Also, from the largest city in the Asian country and the world’s financial core, a comprehensive shared development agreement was established between Shanghai and the state of Carabobo. Likewise, the president visited the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Island Experimental Center to continue promoting the strategic partnership between Caracas and Beijing.
Shandong (September 11): On September 11, during the third stop of his tour, Maduro arrived in the province of Shandong, where he continued his work agenda to strengthen relations between both nations for the benefit of their people. He visited sacred mountains and received blessings from Taoist monks. He conducted his program, “Con Maduro+,” broadcasting live from Shandong to the entire Global South through teleSUR, Almayadin, and CGTN. On this significant day, marking the 50th anniversary of the US Fascist coup against the Chilean people and with Mártir Camarada Salvador Allende’s spirit stronger than ever, a great anti-fascist program was held with bilateral anti-imperialist agreements. In the first international broadcast, Maduro informed the country of the achievements and prospects of the tour, which included a twinning agreement, a joint development plan, investment, and technology agreements where the most advanced Chinese companies in the world are present, as highlighted by the head of state. He also emphasized that one of the objectives of the visit to Shandong is to update the entire industrial, agroindustrial, and production infrastructure of Venezuela.
Beijing (September 13): To promote Venezuela’s development in various areas, President Nicolás Maduro arrived on September 13 via a high-speed train, traveling at 350km/h, to the South Station in Beijing as part of his presidential tour focusing on diplomatic cooperation, solidarity, and international exchange to improve the country’s conditions. Seven commissions were created, and 31 lines of work were established, covering a wide range of areas, including economic zones, tourism, agriculture, industry, technology, pharmaceuticals, and commerce. The parties also signed 10 agreements on tourism, agriculture, industry, technology, pharmaceuticals, and commerce. They also took on 18 high-level documents in strategic areas.
“Relations between Venezuela and China are 49 years old, and in recent years, they have been intensifying with twinning agreements. Both countries are working under this geopolitics of peace, solidarity, and cooperation. We have established relations of friendship and trust with China. That is why this historic visit will allow everything that Venezuela and China do to be raised to a higher level.”
Vice president Delcy Rodríguez: “In recent years, thanks to the personal commitment of President Xi Jinping and President Nicolás Maduro, China-Venezuela relations have withstood the test of the changing international landscape and have remained solid. Mutual political trust between the two countries has become stronger, and our cooperation in various sectors has deepened even further.”
President Nicolás Maduro and his senior cabinet, have been on an official visit to the Asian country since September 6th. Upon receiving the President of Venezuela, he expressed his support for Venezuelan efforts to maintain its sovereignty, national dignity, and social stability in the country and how to resist imperialist interference in a meeting at the Great Palace of the People.
The Chinese president assured that his country and Venezuela are good friends and partners. For his part, the president of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro thanked the authorities for the support of the Asian nation and assured that their relations are a model of the links between the countries of the Global South.
During the meeting, both leaders announced that their improving relations could withstand anything.
“It is the fifth time that you have visited China since you took office as President, which demonstrates the fraternal friendship between China and Venezuela. China and Venezuela are very trusted friends and joint development partners. The Chinese side always considers and develops the part with Venezuela from strategic and long-term perspectives and will support, as always, the efforts of the Venezuelan side to safeguard national sovereignty, the dignity of the people, and social stability and firmly support the cause of justice of the Bolivarian Republic by opposing foreign interference.
“I am pleased to announce together with you the update of the relationship between China and Venezuela for the full-time strategic partnership.”
President Nicolás Maduro Moros said, “President Xi Jinping, on behalf of our people, I want to express all the expressions of solidarity and affection with ancient China and the People’s Republic of China. I am happy to be here with you on this visit, which I have described as a historic visit. It marks a new era for a new era in China-Venezuela relations within the framework of a new historical era that has opened for humanity. We have a relationship of deep friendship, successful cooperation and our relations have been exemplary for the Global South.
China has become in these years–I have witnessed as Chancellor of Commander Hugo Chávez, his great friend, and as President for 10 years– I have witnessed how China has become a superpower. A superpower of peace, a human superpower of cooperation and how China becomes the great engine of the development of a new era of a multipolar world, a pluricentric world. So really what I have seen in China–whether in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Shandong and now in Beijing– is progress and prosperity.
I want to congratulate the Chinese Communist Party for the immense success of the 20th Congress and congratulate you for your re-election at the head of the destiny of the Superpower of Peace that we admire in the World. I am very happy with my team to be here and ready to work on building a new splendid stage of China-Venezuela relations! Thank you very much, president!”
During the Seventeenth meeting, they signed a total of 31 agreements in strategic areas in a new stage of expansion in their economic and diplomatic relations. China and Venezuela focused this conference precisely on promoting unilateral development proposals for the evolution of both nations from the perspective of investments and growth.
Likewise, Beijing and Caracas strengthened their bilateral and diplomatic ties to maintain brotherhood between both nations.
Maduro said, “With the deep knowledge I have, lived intensely, I think it was the best day that the China-Venezuela high-level commission has ever had.”
For her part, the Executive Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, emphasized that “Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Xi Jinping removed all the obstacles found to reach China-Venezuela cooperation with one heart and one mind.”
The Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, Shen Yan Shié, stated that “the high-level joint commission has worked hard to promote binational exchange and cooperation despite US aggression and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Social welfare has been maintained.”
Seven commissions were created, and 31 lines of work were drawn up that are aimed at a new splendid and virtuous era, with three agreements for the Economic Zones. The parties also signed 10 agreements on Tourism, Agricultural, Industrial, Technological, Pharmaceutical, and Commercial matters.
The Venezuelan Head of State characterized the cooperative relationship with the Asian giant in five stages. The first stage is fundamentally diplomatic and involves a people-to-people approach. The second stage of the China-Venezuela relationship is valued for its achievements. The third stage was marked by Xi’s visit to Caracas, where the elevation of the strategic stage of the China-Venezuela relationship was formalized. The fourth stage represents resistance and the strengthening of bilateral relations. The fifth stage is focused on development and economic growth, testing the foundations for the construction of a community of shared destiny and looking towards the future.
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