Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said he wants China’s support for his country to join the block of emerging-market nations known as BRICS.

The relationship between China and Venezuela can serve to strengthen the BRICS group, and to promote Venezuela’s entry into block, Maduro said in an interview on Saturday with the official Xinhua News Agency.

Maduro, who is in an official visit to China, said the Asian nation can help to achieve Venezuela’s request to enter the group “as the country with the largest oil reserves in the world.”

• Maduro said the ties between China and Venezuela can help strengthen the relationship between China and the CELAC group of nations
• Maduro also said he wants China’s investment in Latin America and the Caribbean to increase
• NOTE: Venezuela’s Maduro Visits China for Help Before Election
• NOTE: Lula Says He Is in Favor of Venezuela Joining the BRICS