China urges stronger ties with Venezuela

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji has told Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez the two countries should do more business together in line with their growing political relations, state media reported.

The Venezuelan president arrived in China on Thursday for a visit which is expected to strengthen what both countries have described as their strategic alliance.

Mr Chavez is scheduled to meet the Chinese president, Jiang Zemin, who was given a warm welcome when he visited Venezuela last month.

President Chavez backs China's vision of a multi-polar world to challenge what Beijing sees as the United States dominance of world affairs.

China is the latest stop on Mr Chavez's international tour, which is to conclude Indonesia.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service