Chávez ends visit to China

President Hugo Chávez met with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (Photo: Minoru Iwasaki / Reuters)

Politics
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Thursday completed his sixth official visit to China, with a meeting with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, who is likely to succeed Hu Jintao as leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the party congress of 2012.

Xi is also de Principal of the Central Party School, which is the highest institution to train officials of the Communist Party of China ever since the creation of the People's Republic of China back in 1949 and which Chávez visited on Thursday, Efe reported.

At the Central Party School, Chávez praised the long-term vision of China, referring to the fact that "11 years ago," when he was running for president, "the Chinese Ambassador to Caracas was the only one who welcomed me in triumph and treated me like a president."

"China knows about forward-looking approaches. A few months into my administration, I visited China, and with Jiang Zemin we started a relation. With Hu we have decided to give new momentum to this relation," Chávez declared.

"We have set the foundations. Now, we are moving to higher levels. China and Venezuela have a perfect alliance based on affection and solidarity."

"The scope for cooperation among the two nations ranges from the subsoil to the space: oil extraction, transfer of technology to improve pasture and livestock, as well as the production of the communications satellite that ignited an explosion of patriotism last November 1 in Venezuela," highlighted the Venezuelan ruler.

Chávez told Xi that "while Washington was the capital of the imperial world, Beijing is now one of the great capitals of the pluripolar world."

The Venezuelan ruler announced that members of this United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) are to be trained at the Central Party School, as proposed by Xi.

Further, Chávez reminded the Christian significance of Maundy Thursday. In front of the astounded Chinese leaders, the Venezuelan ruler said: "Maundy Thursday is the day when Jesus Christ was crucified because he heralded the kingdom of equality and happiness, which is nothing more than the socialist kingdom."