China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing cannot accept any country acting as the world’s judge or police, commenting on the “sudden developments in Venezuela” after U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro. Speaking during talks with Pakistan’s foreign minister, Wang stressed that national sovereignty and security must be protected under international law. His remarks came as Maduro awaits a U.S. court appearance in New York on drug charges, following images of his detention that shocked Venezuela and drew global attention.
Why It Matters
The statement highlights Beijing’s unease with Washington’s use of force against a foreign leader and signals growing geopolitical friction. Venezuela has been a key Chinese partner in Latin America, and the U.S. intervention tests China’s ambition to present itself as a defender of sovereignty and a credible alternative diplomatic power. The episode also challenges China’s confidence after recent diplomatic and trade successes, exposing limits to its influence when U.S. military power is directly applied.
China’s leadership faces the prospect of losing a long-standing ally and investments in Venezuela’s oil sector. The United States is asserting its willingness to act unilaterally, risking pushback from major powers. Venezuela’s political future hangs in the balance as its international backers reassess their positions. Countries aligned with Beijing, including Pakistan, are watching how China responds to actions it sees as undermining international norms.
What Next
China is likely to intensify diplomatic criticism of the U.S. while avoiding direct confrontation, seeking to preserve its economic interests in Venezuela. Beijing may also push harder for a multilateral response framed around international law. How far China is willing or able to defend its partnership with Caracas will shape its credibility as a global diplomatic heavyweight in the months ahead.
With information from Reuters.
