Venezuelan defence minister vows to strengthen military ties with China

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said Wednesday that Caracas intends to strengthen military and technical cooperation with China.

He made the remarks amid an ongoing military drill in Venezuela's southwest Apure state, some 390 km away from the capital, after U.S. President Barack Obama signed an executive order in March declaring Venezuela "an unusual and extraordinary threat" to the U.S. national security.

Padrino Lopez said, with participation of Chinese, Russian and Cuban military officials, these exercises continue to contribute to stronger bilateral military relations.

Over 450 military officers participated in Venezuela's Wednesday drill to test the Russian made Pechora-2M surface-to-air missile system recently acquired from Moscow.