Ambassador Félix Plasencia González speaking at conference celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in Bolívar Hall, London on September 28, 2024. Photo: Friends of Socialist China.
We are very pleased to publish below the text of the statement delivered by His Excellency Ambassador Félix Plasencia González, Head of Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Kingdom, at the conference held in London on Saturday 28 September to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Ambassador Plasencia started by welcoming the audience to Bolívar Hall, a historic venue in Central London which is owned by the Venezuelan Embassy, and “a space of open doors for brotherhood and solidarity between our peoples”.
Plasencia was formerly Venezuela’s ambassador to China and knows the country well. After congratulating the Chinese people on their remarkable achievements over the last 75 years, he went on to discuss China-Venezuela relations and the role the two countries are playing in global politics.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the People’s Republic of China are pioneering nations in the construction of a multipolar and multicentric world, where cooperation, solidarity, and respect for international law play a fundamental role.
Comrade Plasencia noted that, while the US and its allies have been subjecting Venezuela to illegal and arbitrary unilateral coercive measures, “China has consolidated itself as a true friend and a beacon of hope for sovereign nations and governments still striving for full independence”.
He concluded by expressing Venezuela’s willingness to continue expanding cooperation and solidarity with China to ever-wider areas of life, “to contribute to the well-being of our peoples, the development of both nations, and to build strengths that will help create a fairer, more inclusive, peaceful, and equitable multipolar world”.
On behalf of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, the People and the Bolivarian Government, I am pleased to extend to you a warm greeting, as well as the most cordial welcome to the Bolívar Hall, a space of open doors for brotherhood and solidarity between our peoples, provided by the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in London.
It is a great honour for me, as a former Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic to the People’s Republic of China, to be able to accompany our sister nation, China, in this warm and close gathering organised by social movements and friends of the solidarity in London and the United Kingdom, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
This significant date for the Chinese people and government reminds us of the greatness of the Chinese nation, which we in Latin America and particularly in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, recognise for its millennia of historical greatness and contributions to the development of humanity.
Likewise, on this day we are called to reflect on the profound transformations that the People’s Republic of China has undergone over the last 75 years, during which historic achievements have been made to improve the quality of life for the Chinese people.
China has been remarkably successful in achieving major goals, such as the eradication of extreme poverty, a milestone that fills all our developing nations with hope.
Speech of China’s Foreign Minister at the 79th UN General Assembly
Dear sisters and brothers,
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the People’s Republic of China are pioneering nations in the construction of a multipolar and multicentric world, where cooperation, solidarity, and respect for international law play a fundamental role.
Fifty years ago, China and Venezuela established diplomatic relations based on the One China Principle, and since then, cordial and friendly relations have been maintained between both nations. However, it was in 1999, with the rise to power in Venezuela of the Bolivarian Revolution under the leadership of Commander Hugo Chávez, that relations between China and Venezuela deepened and took on a strategic character.
Today, a solid and enduring strategic partnership exists between our two nations, following the most recent meeting in Beijing, exactly one year ago, between President Nicolás Maduro and President Xi Jinping. This Strategic Partnership has been carefully constructed over the past 25 years. The strategic vision of Commander Hugo Chávez and his first meeting with former Chinese President Jiang Zemin set the path of friendship and solidarity that our peoples continue to follow today.
At the beginning of his term in 1999, President Hugo Chávez made his first State visit to China, foreseeing the significant role the Asian giant would play in the development of our country, as well as in Latin America and the Caribbean. Today, China, the world’s second- largest economy, is committed to contributing to the defence of multilateralism, sovereignty, peace, and cooperation with developing countries.
Today, the government of President Nicolás Maduro Moros remains faithful to this legacy of friendship and full understanding, embodied in a special relationship with President Xi Jinping, who has consolidated himself as one of the leaders of this new multipolar world, where the quest for peace and cooperation among the world’s nations is a fundamental pillar.
Dear comrades,
The progress made in economic and commercial relations between China and Venezuela, through significant exchanges in these areas, has been enormous. But we have also strengthened ties in other areas such as culture. A recent example of this was the performance in Beijing of the Juan José Landaeta Symphony Orchestra, part of the Venezuelan System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras and Choirs, which performed three marvellous concerts, captivating audiences with their remarkable talent and energy.
Similarly, political solidarity and coordination in multilateral forums have been strengthened, where China and Venezuela have mutually supported each other in defending their sovereignty, respecting international law, and upholding the United Nations Charter.
Venezuela has also actively supported the initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping to promote global cooperation and development, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Global Development, Security, and Civilization Initiatives, all aimed at building a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity. Moreover, our country adhered in September 2024 to the Initiative for New Industrialization Cooperation, proposed by China at the 2nd Forum on Partnership for the New Industrial Revolution, held in Fujian.
Venezuela has also reaffirmed its commitment to the One China principle, categorically rejecting any attacks on China’s territorial integrity.
In turn, China has rejected the imposition of unilateral coercive measures and interference in the internal affairs of our country, with particular emphasis on President Xi Jinping’s recent endorsement of President Nicolás Maduro Moros’ victory in the presidential elections of 28 July this year, which we deeply appreciate.
Dear friends,
Faced with the many and complex challenges that our country has encountered since the imposition of illegal and arbitrary unilateral coercive measures against our people by Washington and its allies, China has consolidated itself as a true friend and a beacon of hope for sovereign nations and governments still striving for full independence.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in the face of evident inequalities and the growing tendency of some states to resort to unilateralism to hinder our nations in their quest for the well-being of our people, we doubled our efforts, alongside China, to protect our population. Thanks to China, Russia, and our sister Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan people were able to access vaccines and medicines to care for our population during these harsh times.
For this reason, Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to raising its voice to promote, preserve, and strengthen multilateralism, as the most inclusive framework to address, together and on the basis of international law, issues that, in an increasingly globalised world, concern and affect us all. Only then will we achieve our common goal of establishing a peaceful and prosperous world, with a just and equitable global order.
Thus, today, on the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, we reiterate our gratitude and brotherhood with the Chinese people and government. At the same time, we reaffirm that our doors are open for the deepening of all mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Venezuela, as well as with all Latin America and the Caribbean, in all possible areas.
We aim to expand cooperation and solidarity beyond our strategic political and energy relationship, towards the development of all areas of exchange and investment, to contribute to the well-being of our peoples, the development of both nations, and to build strengths that will help create a fairer, more inclusive, peaceful, and equitable multipolar world.
Thank you very much.
