Maduro to meet Xi in Beijing; BRICS membership among topics

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 Sep 2023 13:11

In his first visit to Beijing since 2018, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Beijing to conclude his one-week trip tp the country with a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Secretary of the Nanshan District Committee of Shenzhen City Huang Xiangyue and Venezuelan First Lady Cilia Flores chatting during their welcoming ceremony at the urban theme park of Shenzhen Talents Park in Shenzhen, China on September 9, 2023. (Miraflores Palace press office)

Headed to meet with China's President, Xi Jinping, on the last visit on his one-week tour, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Beijing, earlier on Tuesday, after he had landed in Shenzhen earlier on Friday.

According to a CGTN broadcast video, the official Chinese broadcaster showed children at a Beijing train station. They were bearing flowers welcoming Maduro and his wife alight from a high-speed train from which Maduro had earlier broadcasted a message.

En el marco de nuestra visita a China decidimos ir hacia el hermanamiento y el desarrollo compartido entre Shenzhen y la ZEE de La Guaira; Shanghái y Carabobo; Shandong y los estados Anzoátegui y Monagas. Inversiones, tecnología y presencia de las empresas chinas más avanzadas… pic.twitter.com/43NjvPvMV0
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) September 12, 2023

On the train Maduro explained, "We are leaving on a train bound for the Chinese capital, Beijing, to meet the future, to meet with our brother President Xi Jinping, to reach great agreements that further elevate a historical relationship revitalized by our commander Hugo Chavez," adding that "We have been sacrificing sleep, resisting fatigue, but (are) motivated by the great joy that working for the people of Venezuela gives us."

Earlier on Friday, Maduro dubbed hi Shenzhen visit as "historic" and underscored that it was aimed at "strengthening cooperation and the construction of a new world order," after China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning had hailed Sino-Venezuela ties as "rock solid" noting that the two countries are "comprehensive strategic partners."

The spokesperson had also highlighted that "In recent years under the direction of President Xi Jinping... cooperation in various fields has been deepening."

On what marked his first Beijing visit since 2018, also his 10th China trip, Maduro praised Xi for his vision of a "common destiny for humanity."

It is important to note that China is Venezuela's biggest lender after Beijing loaned Caracas approximately $50 billion throughout the 2010s which is being repaid through oil shipments as Caracas, the OPEC member, is considered one of the countries with the biggest reserves.

In 2014, Xi visited Venezuela, and by 2018, Caracas still owed Beijing only about $20 billion. Maduro looks to discuss with the Chinese leader the possibility of a BRICS membership for Venezuela.

Earlier on Tuesday, during the "With Maduro +" ("Con Maduro +") program, Maduro revealed that he issued orders to his government to expedite the procedures required to join BRICS' New Development Bank (NBD).

"We are going to start the process [of accession]. I have ordered Financial Minister and Executive Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez to take all necessary steps and measures to facilitate submission of Venezuela's application to join the BRICS bank," he said.

Maduro convened to meet with the NDB head and former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Sunday.

The president has frequently shown interest in joining the BRICS as a whole, as he announced in August that Venezuela has officially applied to join.