At Venezuela’s First Bolivarian Teachers’ Education Congress on August 14, President Nicolás Maduro showcased a new Huawei smartphone that he said was a personal gift from Xi Jinping. Maduro said he could use the phone for satellite communication with Xi and even greeted in Chinese in a mock phone call during his speech. CNN noted that while symbolic, the gesture highlights Maduro’s effort to emphasize close ties with China amid strained relations with the U.S.
A week later, on August 21, Maduro met with China’s ambassador to Venezuela, Lan Hu, and praised recent progress in bilateral cooperation, particularly in economic, technological, and artificial intelligence projects. He declared that China’s people-centered development model is shaping global trends.
On the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning criticized the U.S. for deploying warships near Venezuela to stop drug trafficking, saying it violated the U.N. Charter, threatened Venezuela’s sovereignty, and undermined regional peace. She urged the U.S. to contribute positively to stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Source: Radio France International, August 24, 2025
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/美洲/20250824-美委关系紧张加剧-马杜罗秀习近平-亲赠-华为手机等对华示好