China on Wednesday sharply condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s announced plan to take control of Venezuela’s oil reserves, calling it an “outrageous use of force” that violates international law and infringes on Venezuela’s sovereignty.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters:
“The United States’ demand that Venezuela manage its oil resources according to the ‘America First’ principle constitutes harassment, seriously breaches international norms, and harms the rights of the Venezuelan people.” She added that Venezuela holds full permanent sovereignty over its natural resources and economic activities and warned that China’s own interests in the country must be protected .
China is a key ally of Venezuela and remains its largest buyer of oil. In recent months, Beijing imported approximately 389,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan crude, about 4 % of its total seaborne oil imports, making Caracas a critical supplier for Chinese independent refiners .
The controversy erupted after Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday that Venezuela’s interim government would hand over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of “sanctioned oil” to the United States.
He further disclosed that proceeds would be controlled by Washington to “benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States”.
The U.S. action follows Saturday’s military raid in Caracas, during which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were seized over alleged drug offences.
Trump declared the U.S. would “temporarily run Venezuela,” promising major U.S. oil companies would invest to repair infrastructure and boost production.
In response, Chinese officials described the U.S. moves as “blatant interference” and “typical acts of bullying,” urging Washington to cease further escalation.
Analysts note that if Venezuelan supplies are disrupted, China may shift to alternative sources such as Iranian or Russian crude to meet demand .
Source: Reuters: Curated by Newsworthonline.com
