On the afternoon of March 31, 2023, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Venezuela Álvarez Márquez led a delegation to CCSEZR and BRRI. Attendees from the Venezuelan side: Johann Carlos Álvarez Márquez, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Superintendent of Superintendency of Public Property and National Superintendence of Special Economic Zones; Dorianny Peña, Coordinator of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Vice Minister of Ministry of Economy and Finance; Chery Jabour, Acting Consul General of the Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Guangzhou; and Denny Wu, Interpreter of the Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Guangzhou. Attendees from the Chinese side: Director Tao Yitao, Prof. Yuan Yiming, Associate Prof. Fan Xiaowen, Associate Prof. Yun Wenjie from CCSEZR and Mrs. Huang Ming, the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs, Shenzhen Office of Foreign Affairs Commission.
Director Tao extended a warm welcome to Álvarez Márquez and his delegation and introduced the basic information of CCSEZR and BRRI, focusing on the long-term cooperation between SZU, especially the CCSEZR, and academic institutions and government decision-making departments in emerging market economies and regions, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Russian Far East regions and Africa, to whom the policy advice and special zone planning are offered. In publicizing China's Path and the successful experience of China’s SEZs typified by Shenzhen, CCSEZR has made distinctive contributions.
Vice Minister Álvarez Márquez was impressed and highly appreciated the achievements made by CCSEZR and BRRI, especially the roles Director Tao played in serving the national "Belt and Road" initiative. He said that the experience of the Shenzhen SEZ is valuable for Venezuela’s exploration of similar policies. According to him, the Venezuelan government attaches great importance to economic and trade cooperation with China and hopes to develop extensive communications with China in the field of SEZs.
This whole meeting was performed in a pleasant, practical and efficient aura. A thorough exploration of the SEZs has been conducted and a consensus on further cooperation has been reached. The cooperation between China and Venezuela in the SEZs study has a broad prospect. Both sides will strengthen international cross-regional collaboration to promote the high-quality development of the "Belt and Road” initiative.
Prof. Tao and Álvarez Márquez exchange books after the meeting.
