President Nicolas Maduro and his delegation watch a drone light show in Shenzhen City, south China's Guangdong Province, on the evening of September 8, 2023. / CGTN
'When you come to China, you come to the future'
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is on a 7-day visit to China, kicking off his trip in the tech hub of Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province.
Upon his arrival on Friday, Maduro was greeted with a drone light show. He stepped onto the Star Bridge of Shenzhen Talent Park and enjoyed a unique drone performance.
The drones flexibly changed the words "welcome" and "long live friendship between China and Venezuela forever" in Chinese and Spanish languages in the air, along with various patterns depicting the friendship between the two countries.
"When you come to China, you come to the future," Maduro said, emphasizing that the most impressive aspect of China's current development is its remarkable progress in science and technology.
Regarding his decision to choose Shenzhen as the first stop of his trip, Maduro said that the city is a significant hub for those seeking the source of development, technology, and new inventions, making it an excellent starting point for his visit.
President Nicolas Maduro and his delegation tour the Exhibition Hall of Guangdong's 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening-Up, September 9, 2023. /CGTN
'We are starting a new path that Shenzhen has already taken'
Following his arrival, meetings with local officials were held, and President Maduro also toured an exhibition showcasing Shenzhen's development since the country's reform and opening-up began in 1978.
"We are keen to learn from Shenzhen's development experience and hope to take this opportunity to start cooperation between Venezuela and Shenzhen in the future," Maduro said.
During his visit, President Maduro paid special attention to the development experience of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.
Representatives from China and Venezuela sign a Memorandum of Cooperation on September 9, 2023. /CGTN
'Shenzhen's development experience is constructive for Venezuela'
President Maduro also oversaw the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between the Venezuelan National Administration of Special Economic Zones and the China Research Center for Special Economic Zones at Shenzhen University.
The MOC aims to formulate a strategy for cooperation, development, and modernization of Special Economic Zones, implementing a joint action mechanism based on China's experience.
In 2022, President Maduro signed a Special Economic Zones law, enabling the government to offer tax, financial, and legal incentives to encourage both national and international investment in selected regions of the country.
Maduro noted, "We are embarking on a new path, a path that Shenzhen has already pioneered." He believes that Shenzhen's 43 years of experience in constructing special economic zones provide valuable insights for Venezuela.
This marks President Maduro's fifth visit to China, focused on strengthening the brotherly ties and cooperation between the two nations. His visit is scheduled to conclude on Thursday.