China slams US military near Venezuela, warns against interference

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 13:50

Beijing has urged Washington to stop interfering in Venezuela, criticizing US naval moves and warning they could endanger sovereignty and regional stability.

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In this March 30, 2020, file photo, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza holds a Venezuelan and Chinese flag as medical specialists and supplies arrive from China at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in La Guaira, Venezuela (AP)

China on Monday sharply criticized the recent deployment of US military forces near Venezuela, warning that it “seriously undermines” regional peace and stability and urging Washington to refrain from interfering in the Latin American nation’s internal affairs.

“The actions of the US seriously undermine peace and security of the region, seriously infringe upon the security, sovereignty, and legitimate rights and interests of other countries, [and] seriously violate international law,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

This comes shortly after the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounced what it described as an illegal and hostile provocation by the United States, after a US Navy destroyer forcibly boarded a Venezuelan fishing vessel operating in the nation's territorial waters.

According to an official statement on Saturday, the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), armed with cruise missiles and carrying highly trained Marines, intercepted the tuna boat Carmen Rosa on Friday, 48 nautical miles northeast of La Blanquilla Island within Venezuela's Exclusive Economic Zone. Eighteen armed personnel reportedly occupied the vessel for eight hours, cutting communications and obstructing the work of nine fishermen engaged in authorized tuna fishing.

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces said they tracked the incident minute by minute with naval, aerial, and surveillance assets, ensuring the crew's safety and demonstrating Venezuela's capacity to defend its sovereignty.

Officials condemned Washington's "grotesque and disproportionate" use of military force against civilians, framing it as a deliberate attempt to provoke conflict in the Caribbean and to revive a failed policy of regime change long rejected by the Venezuelan people.

Wider context

The incident comes as the United States has deployed additional destroyers and warplanes to the Caribbean under the pretext of counter-narcotics operations. Analysts in Caracas argue that such assets, guided-missile warships and advanced fighter jets, far exceed the requirements of anti-smuggling patrols, confirming that the real aim is to intimidate Venezuela and destabilize its government through gunboat diplomacy.

President Nicolas Maduro has already warned that Washington’s moves echo past imperial adventures, where exaggerated “security threats” were manufactured to justify intervention.

Adding to these concerns, earlier this month, US forces struck and destroyed a vessel Washington claimed was tied to drug cartels, marking the first time American forces had used direct military firepower against such a target in the Caribbean. Critics called the action highly controversial, arguing that employing missile-equipped warships against small boats sets a dangerous precedent, blurring the line between counter-narcotics policing and outright acts of war.

For Caracas, the escalation underscores that so-called anti-drug operations are being used as a cover to normalize military aggression in the region.

Caracas urged the American people to recognize the danger of these reckless maneuvers and to reject policies that endanger peace while sacrificing US soldiers for the ambitions of elites. Venezuela reaffirmed its commitment to peace but stressed it will continue to defend its sovereignty and maritime security against all provocations.