Vice President Zeng Qinghong held talks with President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela in Caracas on the 29th local time.

Zeng said, friendly cooperation between the two countries has developed rapidly in all fields since China and Venezuela established strategic partnership for common development in 2001. During his visit to China, the President's Excellency reached important consensus on bilateral relations with Chinese leaders of the new administration, laying a new foundation for further development of bilateral ties. I hope that through this visit the consensus can be followed up, and new achievements can be made to promote reciprocal cooperation.

Zeng proposed that the two countries should conduct vigorous friendly exchanges in parliament, political parties, culture, science and technology, and academics, etc, and China-Venezuela cooperation should be comprehensively expanded. Collaboration should be implemented earnestly in the four areas of energy mines, agriculture, infrastructure and hi-tech. Dialogs and consultations on international affairs should be made closer, and positions should be coordinated.

Chavez applauded Zeng's words. He said, the Venezuela-China relationship is based on equality, mutual benefit and mutual respect, and the bilateral cooperation in agriculture, energy and technology has been fast. Currently China's economy is rapidly developing, and Venezuela is also endeavoring to develop economy. Thus good opportunities and good conditions are provided for the two countries to strengthen reciprocal cooperation. During Vice President Zeng's visit, an array of bilateral agreements concerning many fields will be signed, which shows both country's wishes to strengthen cooperation are sincere. Vice President Zeng's visit furthers bilateral ties and is bound to push forward Venezuela-China relations in political, economic and social fields to a new phase.

After the meeting, cooperation agreements on economy, technology, agriculture, oil and natural gas, housing construction, telecommunications and information, as well as simplification of business visa process were signed between the two countries. Zeng and Chaves jointly attended the signing ceremony.

On the same day, China and Venezuela issued the joint press communiqué. The communiqué indicated: both sides are pleased to see that on President Chavez's visit to China in 2004, Venezuela declared its decision to recognize China's complete market economy status; in order to create long-term stable and equitable trade environment, both sides commit to further develop and strengthen bilateral economic cooperation; Venezuela reaffirms its adherence to one-China position, opposes "Taiwan Independence", and supports China to enact "Anti-Secession Law" and realize national unity through the policy of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems".

Also on the same day, Zeng visited the staff in the Chinese Embassy to Venezuela and representatives from China-invested businesses and overseas Chinese.