On July 21, 2014, President Xi Jinping, accompanied by President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, paid a visit to the Tiuna Social Housing Project in Caracas.

On the construction site, the workers of both countries hailed in unison “Building the houses, building up the friendship” and “Long live friendship”, and the local people waved the national flags of China and Venezuela to warmly welcome Xi Jinping. Xi Jinping shook hands with, and waved to, the public.

Xi Jinping and Maduro came in front of the sand-tray model of the construction site and listened to the introduction of the company head. The Project is a key China-Venezuela cooperation project, planning to build 13,000 units of residential houses for Venezuelan low-income citizens. The CITIC Construction Co. Ltd. has contracted to build parts of the residential buildings, schools, kindergartens, clinics and other supporting facilities since 2012. The first phase of the Project has been delivered for use, and the second phase is scheduled for completion this year.

Xi Jinping told Maduro that the Tiuna Housing Project is a livelihood project to which the late President Hugo Chávez attached great importance during his lifetime, winning the attention and support from the leaders of both countries. I am pleased to see the Project construction progressing smoothly with tall buildings sprouting up. Maduro praised the Chinese constructors for their conscientiousness, work of high quality and efficiency, and outstanding contributions to the cause of the Venezuelan people’s livelihood. He hoped that the two sides could have more cooperation projects as good as this one.

Xi Jinping walked into an already-completed residential house with bright, clean and beautifully decorated rooms. The head of the CITIC Construction Co., Ltd told Xi Jinping that they had earnestly studied the approach to justice and interests proposed by President Xi Jinping. Aside from ensuring the construction quality, they also sacrificed much profit by providing free cabinets, wardrobes and sanitary wares beyond the contract for the houses under construction. Some building materials have been produced locally, which increased employment. Xi Jinping stressed that the Tiuna Housing Project is an epitome of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Venezuela, and a project of friendship. I hope that you will step up your efforts to ensure the completion of the Project on schedule with strict quality control, so that the Venezuelan people can move into their new homes at an early date. I hope that you could do more good for the local people.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and others attended the above activities.