The Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, held a telephone phone conversation with his counterpart from the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, on Friday in order for the two nations to continue working together to combat the Covid-19 coronavirus. A communique from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Venezuela indicates that, during the telephone conversation, the head of state thanked the collaboration and support provided by the Asian nation in its battle against the pandemic, which has already registered 171 cases in Venezuela, 84 recovered and nine deceased.
“President Maduro explained that also in Venezuela, a great crusade has been taking place and progress has been made in containing the pandemic, thanking the Chinese authorities for all the support and solidarity through the shipment of medical supplies and the presence in the country of the team of Chinese specialist scientists sent to share their experiences and knowledge with the Venezuelan teams,” states the communique.
Here is the full official text:
Presidents Maduro and Xi Jinping hold telephone communication focused on cooperation to face Covid-19
Today, Friday, April 10, 2020, at 8:30 am in Caracas (20:30 Beijing time), the Presidents of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros and of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, held a fruitful phone call, focused on the joint efforts and the cooperation between both governments and peoples to face and overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Maduro began by expressing the congratulations and admiration of the Venezuelan people to the Chinese people for the victory achieved in this stage of the battle against the Coronavirus, stressing that Venezuela has followed each step carefully, learned great lessons from China and was inspired in its decisions by the experience of that country in facing the pandemic. President Maduro explained that Venezuela has also been mounting a great fight and is making progress in containing the pandemic, thanking the Chinese authorities for all their support and solidarity, in sending medical supplies and the presence in the country of the team of Chinese scientific specialists sent especially to share their experiences and knowledge with the Venezuelan teams.
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The President of China appreciated the solidarity expressed by President Maduro as soon as the pandemic broke out in China, as a sign of appreciation and trust towards his country. He stated that he is always closely following the development of the current circumstances in Venezuela and that he considers that the Venezuelan government has taken, without delay, strong measures with a high sense of responsibility, such as the declaration of the health emergency and the total social quarantine, which has made it possible to contain the spread of the pandemic. He stated that these timely measures have shown the leadership of President Maduro before the International Community. He added that the Chinese side feels the difficulties and challenges faced by Venezuela as its own and is willing to expand the cooperation in the coming weeks.
The Chinese President recalled that China and Venezuela are integral strategic partners and that President Maduro is a good friend of the Chinese people. He expressed that China will not change the guideline of insisting in solidarity and cooperation with Venezuela and will not change its stand in supporting the Venezuelan government and people in the defense of their national sovereignty and their right to explore their own path of development in accordance with their particularities. He noted that China is always opposed to foreign interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela and that it advocates full respect for the sovereignty and the right to self-determination of the Venezuelan people without accepting the establishment of pre-conditions or the imposition by external forces. The Chinese President expressed certainty that the cooperation between Venezuela and China will always be in solidarity and will be able to overcome any kind of difficulty and achieve new successes.
President Maduro recalled that the pandemic has not prevented the aggressions and threats of the United States against Venezuela from intensifying. But he recalled that Venezuela is standing, with great fighting morale because it defends a just, historic and necessary project for humanity. He expressed the reassurance to the Chinese President that Venezuela will continue on the path of struggle, peace and victory.
Both leaders expressed their desire to meet again soon, as they continued to obtain victories over the COVID-19 pandemic and agreed to revive even more vigorously the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Venezuela and China, agreeing on the construction of the Community of Common Destiny and the building of a new society that overcomes all inequalities of neo-colonialism and savage capitalism.
Remembering Commander Chávez and the legacy of the Socialism of the 21st Century, President Maduro ended the conversation asserting that true friendship has been tested by China and Venezuela in the midst of the harsh circumstances and it has proven to be a fruitful and indestructible friendship.
Caracas, April 10, 2020
Translated by JRE/EF
