<
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/28/business/worldbusiness/28energy.html?oref=login&pagewanted=all>"Venezuela Agrees to Export Oil and Gas to China"
Ng Han Guan/Associated Press
"President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, in Beijing to sign an oil agreement, unveiled a bust of Simon Bolivar, the Venezuelan revolutionary hero who is known as the South American George Washington."
By CHRIS BUCKLEY
Published: December 28, 2004
"BEIJING, Dec. 27 - President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela wrapped up a four-day visit to China on Sunday with agreements that promise to open Venezuela's oil and natural gas fields to China.
Under the agreements, Chinese companies will gain development rights to 15 oil fields in eastern Venezuela, and China will also be allowed to build oil refineries there.
President Chávez praised the agreements as an opportunity to reduce his country's dependence on oil sales to the United States, which has opposed his government's leftist policies. He said Venezuela also invited China to help Venezuela establish a government-owned oil corporation.
China has been trying to ensure greater access to oil supplies abroad to satisfy the growing demand of its booming economy. Venezuela offered to export 120,000 barrels of oil a month to China, and President Chávez said his country was planning to expand a pipeline across Panama to speed oil shipments to China across the Pacific Ocean. "
(con't)..............
Oh well Mr. Cheney, ..........who would of thunk it?