In a significant development, China has announced that it is upgrading its diplomatic ties with Venezuela to an "all weather partnership." President Xi Jinping of China made this declaration during a meeting with President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela in Beijing.

The upgrade in relations reflects the commitment of both countries to consolidate and deepen cooperation in various fields. As part of this enhanced partnership, China and Venezuela signed several bilateral cooperation documents during the meeting, focusing on areas including the economy, trade, and tourism.

President Xi Jinping emphasized that China and Venezuela are partners with shared development and referred to them as "good friends with mutual trust." This upgrade to an "all-weather strategic partnership" is a significant step for China, a label reserved for only a select few of its diplomatic partners.

Venezuela has actively supported China's Belt and Road Initiative, a global trade infrastructure project. In fact, Venezuela expressed its support for this initiative prior to an upcoming conference in China next month. China has already signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations.

President Maduro of Venezuela expressed his willingness to closely communicate and cooperate with China within multilateral frameworks such as the BRICS mechanism and the United Nations. Venezuela has been actively seeking membership in BRICS, a group of major emerging economies consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The expansion of BRICS and the addition of new members have been favored in recent times. China's support for Venezuela has been evident throughout President Maduro's tenure, with China providing loans, cash, and investments worth tens of billions of dollars. Venezuela, with one of the world's largest oil reserves, has been repaying its debts to China with oil shipments.

The close ties between the two countries have been described as "rock solid" by China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, who referred to China and Venezuela as "comprehensive strategic partners." The upgrade in diplomatic ties between China and Venezuela comes amidst an ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, leading to approximately seven million people leaving the country.

Venezuela, heavily reliant on oil exports, has faced sanctions from the United States. Despite these challenges, China's commitment to deepening cooperation with Venezuela demonstrates the strength of their partnership. This new development serves as a testament to the deepening ties between China and Venezuela and highlights the importance of their relationship in various areas of cooperation.

As China continues to expand its global influence, the upgrade of diplomatic ties with Venezuela showcases its commitment to strengthening strategic alliances with key partners worldwide.