Beijing: China has reiterated its condemnation of the recent US raid on Venezuela, emphasizing its commitment to strengthening cooperation with Caracas and asserting that its interests within the Latin American country are safeguarded by law.
According to Anadolu Agency - English, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated that China respects Venezuela's sovereignty and independence, trusting that the Venezuelan government will manage its internal affairs in accordance with its constitution and legal framework. He highlighted that the cooperation between China and Venezuela is conducted as a partnership between two sovereign states, protected by international law and the laws of both nations.
Lin further assured that regardless of the political shifts in Venezuela, China remains steadfast in enhancing practical cooperation across various fields. He emphasized that the legitimate rights and interests of China in Venezuela will continue to be protected legally. These comments were made in the wake of the US conducting a significant military operation against Venezuela, resulting in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, who were taken to the US to face criminal charges.
The New York Times reported, citing Venezuelan officials, that the US raid led to the deaths of approximately 80 individuals. Maduro and Flores are currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, facing federal charges related to drug trafficking and alleged collaboration with groups designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has denied these allegations, and Venezuelan officials in Caracas have demanded the couple's release.
In response to questions regarding a recent meeting between Maduro and China's special representative, Qiu Xiaoqi, shortly before the US raid, Lin clarified that it is part of Xiaoqi's duties to visit Latin American countries. He mentioned that China and Venezuela have maintained friendly relations and cooperative exchanges.
During the meeting at the Miraflores Palace, Maduro expressed Venezuela's commitment to the strategic partnership with China, which is advancing in various areas to build a multipolar world of development and peace. Lin also called on the US to ensure the safety of the detained Venezuelan leaders and urged respect for Venezuela's sovereignty.
Lin reiterated China's support for the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities as it prepared to discuss the US raid. He concluded by affirming China's role as a supportive ally to Latin American nations and opposing any actions that infringe upon their sovereignty. Responding to US President Donald Trump's comments on Greenland, Lin urged the US to cease using the so-called "China threat" for its own interests, as reported by Beijing-based Global Times.