China Supports Venezuela's Bid for U.N. Council
Audra Ang
"I believe that, through your visit, the two countries' cooperation in all aspects can be promoted," Hu told Chavez at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of China's parliament.
Chavez responded by saying that "mutual trust between our two countries has been deepening, and the economic and cultural exchanges have been strengthening."
The two countries' alliance has expanded beyond energy, however. Chavez said after his meeting with Hu that the Chinese president had expressed support for Venezuela's bid to join the Security Council — a move the United States has sought to block.
"The support of China is very important from the political and moral point of view," said Chavez.
The U.S. government, which frequently clashes with leftist Chavez, is backing Guatemala for the Security Council seat instead. The race between the two countries is to be decided by the General Assembly in October.
China is the second of the council's five permanent, veto-wielding members to back Venezuela. Chavez won Russia's support last month.
The Asian nation has sought to lessen its dependency on Middle Eastern oil while securing access to the resources needed to fuel its booming industrial expansion, an aim that dovetails with Chavez's goal of selling more oil to other countries besides the U.S., its biggest customer.
Energy agreements signed by Hu and Chavez include one for their main government oil companies — China National Petroleum Corp. and Petroleos de Venezuela SA — to jointly develop Block 4 of the Junin area in Venezuela's Orinoco oil belt. China has been helping to certify reserves in the 247-square-mile block, which are estimated at some 20 billion barrels of oil.
Another deal calls for joint exploration of an oil field in Venezuela's Zumano region.
The U.S. government would "be concerned because this deal makes both countries stronger," said Steven Knell, a London-based energy analyst.
Chavez said Thursday that he hoped to be exporting 500,000 barrels of oil per day to China by 2009.