Venezuela Expects First Chinese Planes in 2009

Military links have been in focus because ties with the United States are particularly stormy.

Venezuela expects a first shipment of Chinese military training planes to arrive next year, but the purchase is only a tiny part of a relationship based on finance and energy, President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday.

The staunch leftist said he was pushed into the deal for 24 K-8 craft because Venezuela's ideological foe, the United States, had refused to sell him spare parts for old American planes and so pilots risked their lives when training.

He lambasted journalists for focusing too much on military ties between socialist nations he said were simply looking to share their assets to bolster growth.

"I notice that every time I come here some international media try to minimize aspects such as commerce," he said.

"(The military deal) for us is not the most important thing. What are important are finance and energy."

Military links have been in focus because ties with the United States are particularly stormy, and Chavez's next stop on a whirlwind global tour will be Moscow where he is likely to discuss joint manoeuvres planned for November.

Chavez used his fifth visit to China to cement ties with the world's number two oil consumer, as he looks to reduce a traditional reliance on energy markets in the United States.

The two countries signed a slew of deals to boost oil sales, build a new refinery and tanker fleet, and expand by $6 billion a joint investment fund.

But Chavez said Venezuela still had more than enough oil to keep shipments steady to the United States, and was only looking to China for extra markets as it expands production.

China is also keen to play down the politics of the relationship and any fears of military menace.

"From the Chinese side, I can confirm once again that during this visit by President Chavez, the two sides did not talk about cooperation in military areas,"Liu Jianchao, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, told a news conference.