China's foreign minister on Friday met his Venezuelan counterpart for a bilateral meeting and said every country has the right to choose its own development path.
      

Wang Yi, who met Jorge Arreaza in Beijing, said such choices should be respected, according to foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.
      

Venezuela has been steeped in serious political and economic crisis for months and last week the opposition claimed the National Constituent Assembly was threatening to disqualify opposition parties.
      

Wang also hoped that Venezuela would be able to resolve the current crisis through dialogue and negotiation within a legal framework.
      

"The stability and development of Venezuela is also in the interests of the people there, as well as in the interest of the international community at large," Hua quoted the minister as saying.
      

The minister highlighted that Latin America is an extension of the maritime One Belt One Road initiative by China and Beijing wants to increase cooperation with Caracas to fully utilize the potential of the project, according to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry after the meeting.
      

Arreaza said China had maintained an impartial position on international issues and Caracas was willing to boost bilateral cooperation, and added that China was a priority for Venezuelan diplomacy.
      

Arreaza also met Yang Jiechi, State Councillor of China - equivalent to a National Security Advisor - during his visit which began Wednesday.
      

The Venezuelan minister also highlighted the strategic location of his country and its natural resources to pitch for it to become a focal point for the OBOR initiative in the Americas.