China sharply criticized the United States on Saturday for capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, calling the move a violation of international law and an attack on a sovereign country.
In a statement, China’s foreign ministry said it was “deeply shocked” and accused the U.S. of using force in a way that threatens peace in Latin America and the Caribbean. Beijing described the operation as a “hegemonic act” and warned it could set a dangerous global precedent.
China has long supported Venezuela and remained a major investor and buyer of its oil, even as the country became increasingly isolated because of U.S. pressure. Mr. Maduro’s capture came just one day after he met with China’s special envoy for Latin America, highlighting how close the two countries’ ties had been.
China and Russia backed a call for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting, while Chinese officials repeated their opposition to what they called U.S. “unilateralism and bullying.” State media said the U.S. acted without UN approval and undermined the rules it claims to defend.
On Chinese social media, some users compared the U.S. action in Venezuela to a possible future move against Taiwan. Analysts, however, said the situation in Venezuela is unlikely to change China’s approach to Taiwan, which Beijing considers an internal matter.
Experts noted that China may use the incident to present itself as a defender of international law, especially in contrast to U.S. actions under President Donald Trump.
