China accused the United States of blatant theft and international piracy against sovereign nations like Venezuela, following Washington’s announcement of the seizure of an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. China is the largest importer of Venezuelan oil, despite US sanctions. Venezuela holds a special place in China’s eyes due to its vast oil reserves, making it a crucial destination for Chinese investment. The United States, however, views the Venezuelan situation as a test to curb China’s growing influence in its backyard of the Caribbean and Latin America. The Chinese government strongly condemned the US seizure of the Venezuelan oil tanker, describing it as a flagrant act of theft and piracy, and affirmed its commitment to defending Venezuela’s sovereignty and natural resources, which it believes are being violated by the US. China also supported Caracas’s request to appeal to the United Nations to intervene and halt these threats and the US military buildup in the Caribbean region.
While China is not directly involved in the seizure of this particular oil tanker near the Venezuelan border, it is surprising that it may have been the primary destination for Venezuelan oil. Approximately 80% of Venezuelan oil exports go to Beijing, where they are shipped via direct and indirect routes to circumvent US sanctions. Consequently, major Chinese oil companies, such as Sinopec, have faced challenges due to the threat of US sanctions against Venezuelan oil buyers like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and several other countries. This has led some countries to temporarily halt dealings with Venezuela or seek alternative routes. Therefore, China has repeatedly called on the United States to cease interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs and to lift the unilateral sanctions it has deemed illegal.
Here, China officially rejected this US escalation against Venezuela and the seizure of a massive Venezuelan oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. Beijing is monitoring developments with concern, viewing the US campaign against Venezuela and the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers as part of a broader, indirect power struggle with Beijing. China fears that US intervention will undermine its investments in Venezuela and Latin America. China strongly condemned any US military movements near the Venezuelan coast, calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty and the UN Charter, and urging dialogue instead of confrontation.
China pledged to provide all forms of economic support to the Venezuelan government to assist it during this sensitive time in light of what it considers an unjustified US escalation. China continues to support Venezuela through oil-for-goods and technology loans, which has thus far helped the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, withstand US pressure. While China pursues a policy of “strategic caution” to avoid direct confrontation with Washington in defense of its Venezuelan ally, Beijing has refrained from providing any direct military support to the Venezuelan government, preferring economic and diplomatic avenues to protect its substantial investments in Latin America and the Caribbean. China is well aware of the risks and repercussions of escalation. This Chinese stance is seen as part of a broader strategy to challenge American influence in the region while consistently emphasizing the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Currently, China is working with all relevant parties to de-escalate the current tensions between Caracas and Washington and prevent military escalation in the region through intensive communication with these parties.
As for the most likely scenarios for China after the US attack on a massive Venezuelan oil tanker near the Venezuelan border, it is probable that China will continue its current course of condemning the US escalation while maintaining its economic support for Venezuela and utilizing diplomatic channels. However, China will remain extremely cautious about any direct military intervention that could jeopardize its interests or draw it into a larger conflict in the Caribbean and Latin America with Washington.
The most dangerous scenario, in my view, is that with the escalating conflict in the Caribbean due to the US military buildup against Venezuela, and given the growing Chinese presence in the Caribbean and Latin America, as Washington’s backyard and the United States’ concern about it, questions arise about the possibility of a new equation emerging in international relations between Washington and Beijing, involving a trade-off between Venezuela and Taiwan. This coincides with recent developments in US policy, such as approving the sale of fighter jet spare parts to Taiwan for $330 million, a move that has angered Beijing and could foreshadow a Chinese military deployment in the Caribbean to defend its Venezuelan ally and to counter this blatant US interference in Taiwanese affairs.
