习近平同委内瑞拉总统马杜罗会谈

新华社北京9月13日电（记者刘华）9月13日下午，国家主席习近平在人民大会堂同来华进行国事访问的委内瑞拉总统马杜罗举行会谈。两国元首宣布，将中委关系提升为全天候战略伙伴关系。

9月13日下午，国家主席习近平在北京人民大会堂同来华进行国事访问的委内瑞拉总统马杜罗举行会谈。新华社记者 刘彬 摄

习近平指出，中国和委内瑞拉是相互信赖的好朋友、共同发展的好伙伴。近年来，中委两国都走过了极不平凡的发展历程，双方在国际风云变幻中相互支持，结下了“铁杆”情谊。中方始终从战略高度和长远角度看待发展同委内瑞拉关系，坚定支持委方维护国家主权、民族尊严、社会稳定的努力，坚定支持委方反对外部干涉的正义事业。中委建立全天候战略伙伴关系，符合两国人民共同期待，顺应历史发展大势。双方要推动中委战略合作结出更多硕果，给两国人民带来更多福祉，也为世界和平和发展注入更多正能量。

习近平介绍了中国改革开放特别是经济特区建设有关情况，指出改革开放是中国大踏步赶上时代的重要法宝，是决定当代中国命运的关键一招，中国珍惜这一过程中取得的宝贵经验，将继续把改革开放推向前进。没有任何势力能够阻挡中国发展进步的步伐。中方愿同委方坚定支持彼此探索符合本国国情的发展道路，加强治党治国理政经验交流，支持委方兴办经济特区，愿同委方分享有关经验，帮助委方推进国家建设。

习近平指出，明年是中委建交50周年，双方要予以隆重庆祝。中方愿同委方密切人文交流，支持在委开展汉语教学、办好孔子学院，加强媒体交流，讲好中委友好故事。双方要认真落实中委高级混合委员会第十七次会议取得的成果，加强下阶段各领域务实合作。中方愿扩大进口委内瑞拉优质特色产品。祝贺委内瑞拉成为美洲首个加入中国发起的国际月球科研站合作的国家。双方要在联合国、“77国集团和中国”等多边机制中密切配合，和其他发展中国家加强团结合作，共同维护联合国宪章宗旨和原则，维护广大发展中国家共同利益。中方高度重视中拉关系发展。明年是中拉论坛成立10周年。中方愿同委内瑞拉等地区国家一道，促进中拉整体合作，共建中拉命运共同体。

9月13日下午，国家主席习近平在北京人民大会堂同来华进行国事访问的委内瑞拉总统马杜罗举行会谈。新华社记者 刘彬 摄

马杜罗表示，在习近平主席领导下，中国已经成为致力于全人类和平、发展与福祉的伟大国家，也是推动多极化新世界的重要引擎。我此次访华期间所见所闻无不充分展现着中国的进步和力量，我要向中国共产党取得的伟大成就表示衷心祝贺。委中两国友谊深厚，合作成果丰硕，两国关系堪称全球南方国家关系的典范。委内瑞拉人民衷心感谢中国政府和人民在委遭受非法单边制裁和新冠疫情多重困难时提供的宝贵支持和帮助。正是得益于中国兄弟的帮助，委内瑞拉人民经受住了考验，在国家经济建设事业中取得了不凡的成就。当前委国家发展和委中关系都处于重要时期，我对中国进行国事访问并同习近平主席一道宣布将委中关系提升为全天候战略伙伴关系具有历史意义，必将开启委中关系新时代。委方愿学习借鉴中方建设经济特区的经验，深化两国农业、投资、教育、旅游等领域务实合作。委方积极支持共建“一带一路”，支持习近平主席提出的全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议，愿同中方密切在联合国、金砖机制等多边框架内的沟通协作，维护多边主义和发展中国家正当利益，推动构建人类命运共同体。委方愿为促进拉共体同中国关系进一步发展发挥积极作用。

会谈后，两国元首共同见证签署共建“一带一路”、经贸、教育、旅游、科技、卫生、航天、民航等领域多项双边合作文件。

双方发表《中华人民共和国和委内瑞拉玻利瓦尔共和国关于建立全天候战略伙伴关系的联合声明》。

会谈前，习近平在人民大会堂东门外广场为马杜罗举行欢迎仪式。

9月13日下午，国家主席习近平在北京人民大会堂同来华进行国事访问的委内瑞拉总统马杜罗举行会谈。这是会谈前，习近平在人民大会堂东门外广场为马杜罗举行欢迎仪式。新华社记者 刘彬 摄

马杜罗抵达时，礼兵列队致敬。两国元首登上检阅台，军乐团奏中委两国国歌，天安门广场鸣放21响礼炮。马杜罗在习近平陪同下检阅中国人民解放军仪仗队，并观看分列式。

9月13日下午，国家主席习近平在北京人民大会堂同来华进行国事访问的委内瑞拉总统马杜罗举行会谈。这是会谈前，习近平在人民大会堂东门外广场为马杜罗举行欢迎仪式。新华社记者 丁林 摄

习近平夫人彭丽媛和马杜罗夫人弗洛雷斯陪同参加欢迎仪式。当晚，习近平和彭丽媛在人民大会堂金色大厅为马杜罗和弗洛雷斯举行欢迎宴会。

9月13日下午，国家主席习近平在北京人民大会堂同来华进行国事访问的委内瑞拉总统马杜罗举行会谈。这是会谈前，习近平和夫人彭丽媛同马杜罗和夫人弗洛雷斯合影。新华社记者 黄敬文 摄

王毅参加上述活动。

Xi, Maduro announce elevation of China-Venezuela ties

* Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro Moros, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday.

* The two presidents announced the elevation of the China-Venezuela relationship to an all-weather strategic partnership.

* Maduro said Venezuela is willing to learn from China's experience in building special economic zones and deepen practical cooperation in agriculture, investment, education, and tourism.

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro Moros, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday.

The two presidents announced the elevation of the China-Venezuela relationship to an all-weather strategic partnership.

ALL-WEATHER STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Xi said China and Venezuela are good friends who trust each other and good partners for common development, hailing the ironclad friendship forged amid the ever-changing international landscape.

"China has always viewed its relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective, and firmly supports Venezuela's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, national dignity and social stability, as well as Venezuela's just cause of opposing external interference," Xi told Maduro.

"The establishment of an all-weather strategic partnership between China and Venezuela meets the common expectations of the two peoples and conforms to the general trend of historical development," Xi said, calling on the two sides to push for more fruitful China-Venezuela strategic cooperation, bring more benefits to the two peoples and inject more positive energy into world peace and development.

Maduro said Venezuela and China enjoy profound friendship and fruitful cooperation, making bilateral relations a model for relations among countries of the Global South. He said the Venezuelan people thank the Chinese government and people for their valuable support and assistance when Venezuela was suffering from illegal unilateral sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maduro said Venezuela's national development and Venezuela-China relations are at a significant stage. "The establishment of an all-weather strategic partnership is of historic significance and will surely usher in a new era of bilateral relations."

Sun Yanfeng, Deputy Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noted that Venezuela is the first Latin American country that China established an all-weather strategic partnership with.

"The upgraded relationship means increased political trust, strategic need of each other, and high-level cooperation between the two sides. It also means they will surely expand cooperation in multilateral frameworks and, therefore, contribute to building a fair and just international order," Sun said.

CHINA CHARISMA

Xi spoke about China's reform and opening up, especially the development of special economic zones, and noted that reform and opening up is an important instrument for China to catch up with the times in great strides and a crucial move in making China what it is today.

"China cherishes the valuable experience gained in this process and will continue to push forward reform and opening up. No force can stop China's development and progress," Xi said.

Xi said China stands ready to work with Venezuela to firmly support each other in exploring a development path suited to their national conditions and strengthen Party and national governance exchanges. He said China supports Venezuela in setting up special economic zones and will share relevant experience to help its national development.

Maduro said Venezuela is willing to learn from China's experience in building special economic zones and deepen practical cooperation in agriculture, investment, education, and tourism.

Maduro said Venezuela supports the joint construction of the Belt and Road. The Venezuelan side also supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by Xi.

The Venezuelan president said China has become a great country committed to peace, development, and well-being of humanity and a vital engine for promoting a new multi-polar world. He added that everything he has seen and heard during his visit demonstrates China's progress and strength.

Maduro started his week-long China visit in Shenzhen, a reform pioneer where one of China's first special economic zones was established in 1980. There, the Venezuelan president experienced firsthand the achievements of China's reform and opening-up.

If Venezuela can establish Venezuelan-style special zones to attract capital, technology, and management expertise, it will greatly promote Venezuela's development, as Venezuela's economy has been under pressure due to domestic political factors, U.S. sanctions, and COVID-19, said Song Junying. Song is the director of the Department for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.

"Whether it is the Belt and Road Initiative or the other three initiatives, China regards other countries as equal partners, fundamentally different from the initiatives put forward by other non-regional powers in history. Therefore, Latin American countries, including Venezuela, have embraced the Chinese initiatives," Song said.

EXPANDING COOPERATION

Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Venezuela. China is ready to strengthen people-to-people exchanges with Venezuela, support the development of Chinese language teaching Confucius institutes in Venezuela, and strengthen media exchanges, Xi said.

He called on the two sides to implement the outcomes of the 17th meeting of the Mixed Venezuela-China High-Level Committee and strengthen practical cooperation in various fields in the next stage.

Xi said China is willing to import more high-quality Venezuelan products and congratulated Venezuela on becoming the first country in the Americas to join the China-initiated cooperation on the International Lunar Research Station.

The two sides should work closely in multilateral mechanisms, including the United Nations, The Group of 77 (G77) and China, strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries, and jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the common interests of developing countries, the Chinese president said.

Noting China attaches great importance to the development of China-Latin America relations and next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the China-CELAC Forum, Xi said China is ready to work with Venezuela and other countries in the region to promote China-Latin America cooperation and build a community with a shared future.

For his part, Maduro said Venezuela stands ready to strengthen communication and cooperation with China within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the BRICS mechanism, safeguard multilateralism and the legitimate interests of developing countries, promote building a community with a shared future for humanity, and play a positive role in promoting the development of CELAC relations with China.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of jointly building the Belt and Road, economy and trade, education, tourism, science and technology, health, aerospace, and civil aviation. ■