Chinese VP holds talks with Venezuelan president, top lawmaker

（Xinhua）  18:52, May 14, 2013  

CARACAS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao held talks Monday with Venezuelan leaders, voicing the hope to advance the bilateral strategic partnership and cooperation.

During a meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Li said China-Venezuela ties have seen overall and fast development since the establishment of their diplomatic relations in 1974, especially after the two nations forged a strategic partnership of common development in 2001.

China and Venezuela have always been supporting each other on issues concerning their core interests, Li said.

With their economies highly complementary and currently facing new opportunities, both nations should exert their respective advantages to promote the bilateral pragmatic cooperation to a new high, Li said.

Both sides should tap the full potential of financial cooperation as a leading area of their collaboration, actively promote energy cooperation, explore new opportunities in agriculture cooperation, and implement well cooperative projects concerning infrastructure and people's livelihood, Li said.

He believed that bilateral ties would see greater development through joint efforts of the two countries.

Latin America and the Caribbean is an important emerging market of the world, Li said. China has attached great importance to its relations with countries in the region.

Beijing is willing to work together with Venezuela, a very important country in the region, to promote the establishment of a China-Latin America cooperation forum so as to set up a better platform for the deepening of the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and the region, Li said.

For his part, Maduro hoped to enrich cooperation modes, expand cooperation fields and promote the development of China-Latin America ties, voicing support for the establishment of the forum.

During a separate meeting with National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, Li said exchanges and cooperation between the legislatures of the two countries are important part of bilateral relations, hoping to further high-level exchanges.

Li travelled from Argentina to Venezuela on Sunday for a five-day visit.