China and Venezuela, a True Model and Example of Mutual Respect

By IVAN ANTONIO GUERRERO ZERPA

The history of diplomatic relations between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the People’s Republic of China is divided into three stages. The first, the formal establishment of relations between the two countries, was in 1974, and purely formal, even reticent, perhaps due to heavy dependence on the governments of Western powers prior to the Bolivarian Revolution.

The Venezuela-China Business Forum is inaugurated in Caracas on February 17, 2009.

This period ended in 1999, with the rise to power of Supreme Commander Hugo Chavez, who from the beginning had the objective of strengthening ties between the two countries and achieving more and more optimal levels.

The Bolivarian Revolution established as one of its main objectives the diversification of foreign relations; to extend the representation of Venezuela, encourage Latin American and Caribbean integration, South-South cooperation with Africa, Asia and Oceania, and promote respectful relationships with Europe and North America.

For Chavez, the People’s Republic of China was important to the extent that in 1999, a few days after being sworn in as President of the Republic, he made this Asian country a main destination of his international tour. He met with then President Jiang Zemin and expressed great admiration for this Asian nation, its history and culture, and from the outset his unequivocal willingness to establish strong links between China and Venezuela.

The historical legacy of Commander Chavez is a key point in bilateral relations, which constitute a priority in achieving the five objectives of the Second Socialist Historic Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Nation 2013-2019, adopted in December 2013 by the National Assembly of Venezuela as the Law of the Country 2013-2019.

The historical objectives are: First, defend, expand and consolidate the most precious thing we have reconquered after 200 years – “national independence”; Second, continue building Bolivarian socialism of the 21st century in Venezuela as an alternative to destructive and savage capitalism and thereby ensure more social security and political stability, and the greatest happiness for our people; Third, make Venezuela a powerful country in the social, economic and political arenas as part of the growing power of Latin America and the Caribbean to ensure the formation of a zone of peace in America; Fourth, contribute to the development of new international geopolitics forming a multicentric and pluripolar world to achieve equilibrium in the universe and guarantee planetary peace; and Fifth, contribute to the preservation of life on the planet and save the human species.

It is important to note, in particular, the fourth goal of this law, which seeks development of a new international geopolitics that will take the strategic partnership between China and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to a higher level, and consolidate national power.