China says it does not accept countries claiming to be "world judge" after US arrest of Maduro

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing would not accept any country claiming to be "world judge" after the United States seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

This was reported by Reuters.

"We have never believed that any country can act as the world policeman, and we do not accept that any nation can claim to be the world judge," Wang Yi said during a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing, referring to the "sudden events in Venezuela" without directly mentioning the United States.

He added that the sovereignty and security of all countries must be fully protected in accordance with international law after images of the 63-year-old Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed emerged on Saturday.

The publication notes that China has ambitions to become a diplomatic heavyweight, as evidenced most clearly by how the country facilitated an unexpected rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023, promising to "play a constructive role in global flashpoints." In addition, analysts say that Beijing's success in confronting the United States in trade talks has only strengthened China's confidence. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's announcement that the United States will control the Venezuelan government is a serious test of the "all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership" that Beijing and Caracas signed in 2023, marking nearly 50 years of diplomatic relations. "This was a big blow to China, we wanted to appear as a reliable friend of Venezuela," said a Chinese government official who was briefed on Maduro's meeting with China's special representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Qiu Xiaoqi, hours before his detention.

China has provided economic support to Venezuela after the United States and its allies tightened sanctions in 2017, purchasing about USD 1.6 billion worth of goods through 2024, according to the latest available data for the full year.

Also, according to customs data, almost half of China's purchases were crude oil. And state-owned oil giants invested about USD 4.6 billion in Venezuela through 2018, according to the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank that tracks Chinese corporate investment abroad.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said she had invited the U.S. government to cooperate on a "cooperation program," a softening of tone compared to previous statements.

Recall, on January 3, U.S. President Donald Trump said that his Venezuelan counterpart and his wife had been captured and taken out of the country as a result of a special operation.

It became known that the United States conducted a large-scale military intelligence operation to detain Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which involved more than 150 aircraft, including fighter jets and strategic bombers.

Nicolas Maduro will be tried in the United States, Utah Senator Mike Lee (Republican Party) said following his conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the US armed aggression against Venezuela on January 3 and expressed deep concern.