China maintains close contact with all parties in Venezuela: FM

China has maintained close communication with all parties through different ways on the situation in Venezuela, said a spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday.

In response to a question on whether China has contacted or is in contact with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó or other oppositional figures, Geng Shuang, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at Friday’s regular news briefing that China is willing to work with all parties to meet each other half way, promote talks and create favorable situations for solving Venezuela issues.

Reuters reported that China has lent Venezuela more than $50 billion through oil-for-loan agreements.

As for the debt issue between China and Venezuela, Geng said on Friday that ChinaVenezuela relations are normal state-to-state relations. Both countries have conduced pragmatic cooperation for a long time based on the principles of equality, mutual benefits, common development and commercialization.

“It’s completely legal and compliant,” he said, adding that no matter how the situation changes, the cooperation shouldn’t be harmed. And China will continue to push forward communication and cooperation with Venezuela in different fields.

Guaido, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, proclaimed himself “interim president” of the country on January 23, and got recognition from the US and some South American countries.

However, Venezuela’s supreme court ruled that this was “unconstitutional,” and President Nicolas Maduro has cut diplomatic ties with the US, Xinhua reported.