In his speech last Monday, in commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of relations with China, Chávez assured that “China is an example for Venezuela ...China managed to design and put into practice its own model of development, establishing agriculture and food production as priorities, in order to feed its people and thus achieve a supreme degree of independence. It was also able to promote light industry before heavy industry as a way to spread science, technology, and culture.”, he said.

Chávez expressed that China is an example “because we are constructing our own models. Models that can be neither exported nor imported.. Our economic, governmental, and political systems of government must be original, adapted to our own circumstances and geographical characteristics”. He also pointed out that “Diplomatic relations between Venezuela and China shall be honored from one generation to another, not only for the sake of our two peoples, but for much more beyond that.”, he said.

The President ratified once again his hopes that Latin America does not subscribe the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) but an alternative model which Venezuela has already given a name: ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative for America), since “the northern model is not for us”; because at the pace of the FTAA, the earth “could, within a hundred years, end up like Mars: deserted”

He pointed out China’s presence in the Venezuelan agricultural sector, providing tractors, improved seeds, cultivation and procession of aloe vera in the areas of science and technology. He said that these relations are expected to increase with active presence in many activities in which the Chinese have shown interest.

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