Chinese President Jiang Zemin arrived in Caracas the capital of Venezuela Sunday for a state visit at the invitation of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias.

At around 12:25 hours local time, President Jiang's special plane landed at the Simon Bolivar International Airport, where he and the whole Chinese delegation were greeted by President Chavez and other senior Venezuelan officials. Chavez then hosted a red- carpet, 21-gun ceremony in honor of President Jiang and the other Chinese guests.

President Chavez made a warm speech at the airport, in which he hailed President Jiang's first state visit to Venezuela and his on- gong tour to the thriving South American continent.

In the affluent soil of the Venezuela, Chavez said, the people had fought for their independence and liberty. "Now, we are striving for the just order with the same flag of Simon Bolivar at our hands," he said.

He called the day "a jubilant day" for Venezuela when the whole country "welcomed the guests from a country with long civilization. " "Our people are rapture for your coming with flowers in full blossom," he said.

In return, President Jiang said he was delighted to visit the hometown of Simon Bolivar, Liberator of the South America.

He said that the Chinese government and people cherished the traditional friendship with Venezuela. "Concerted efforts made by both sides have scored full-round growth in bilateral ties and enhanced mutually beneficial cooperation," he said.

The successful state visit paid by President Chavez in 1999 has "ushered Sino-Venezuelan ties into a new phase," Jiang said. He believed that his visit could further deepen the mutual understanding and friendship and score new growth in bilateral ties.

President Jiang's entourage who attended the ceremony included Jiang's wife Wang Yeping, Vice-Premier Qian Qichen and his wife Zhou Hanqiong, Minister in charge of the State Development Planning Commission Zeng Peiyan, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng, Special Assistant Hua Jianmin, Vice-Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Deputy Director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Central Guard Bureau You Xigui and Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee Wang Huning.

Chinese Ambassador to Venezuela Wang Zhen and his wife Huang Yunling, as well as representatives of Chinese embassy here and Caracas citizens were also present at the ceremony.

Venezuela is the last stop of Jiang's Latin America tour. He has already visited Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Cuba.

(People’s Daily 04/16/2001)