Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez:“Feeling the Sacred Power of a Millennium on the Great Wall”

　　On October 11, 1999, the ancient Great Wall was bathed in a golden glow under the autumn sun. On this day, Hugo Chávez, then President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, climbed the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing District, Beijing. He climbed with agility and determination, his steps firm and purposeful.

　　Behind him, the Great Wall stretched like a giant dragon winding through rugged mountains. The ancient bricks whispered the vicissitudes and glories of history. The undulating peaks and the Wall complemented each other, forming a breathtaking tableau. President Chávez of Venezuela marveled at the breathtaking scenery, his face radiant with excitement and joy.

　　Chávez deliberately put on a hat that emblazoned with the catchy words “Great Wall,” a cultural symbol that became the centerpiece of the photograph and embodied his unique and profound affection for China. The Art of War by Sun Tzu and Mao Zedong’s On Guerrilla Warfare were the first Chinese works that captivated him and sparked his enduring connection with Chinese culture.

　　He was especially fond of Chinese dishes like Peking Duck, Kung Pao Chicken, and Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish.Considering Chinese food an integral part of its culture, Chávez insisted on using chopsticks at a banquet hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Venezuela, joking, "If I can be a president, surely I can use chopsticks!"

　　Chávez visited China six times, and the sentiment he held for the country was “genuine, profound, and unwavering.”

　　Chávez’s ascent of the Great Wall was not only a personal journey of appreciating the Chinese history and culture but also a vivid symbol of friendly exchanges between China and Venezuela. As he wrote in his inscription on the Great Wall: “We have come to the Great Wall, and we have felt a sacred power spanning a millennium, protecting many warm and friendly people. We will carry all of this in our hearts, like a flower, back to our homeland. We will strengthen and celebrate the genuine friendship and unity between Venezuela and China.”

　　Chávez once said that although Venezuela and China are geographically distant, as a Chinese poem goes, “Bosom friends remain close at heart, though oceans apart,” and that the Venezuelan people hope the friendship and cooperation with China will be as enduring and steadfast as the Great Wall itself.