China has criticised the idea of any country acting as the world’s arbiter, following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing could not accept any nation positioning itself as the “world’s judge” or “world’s police”, stressing that all countries’ sovereignty and security must be protected under international law.
Wang made the remarks during a meeting with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Beijing on Sunday, referring to what he described as the “sudden developments in Venezuela” without naming the United States directly.
The comments marked Wang’s first public response since images emerged of the 63-year-old Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed, which reportedly shocked Venezuelans. Maduro is currently being held at a detention facility in New York and is due to appear in court on drug-related charges on Monday.
China, which has sought to position itself as a global diplomatic heavyweight, has increasingly played a visible role in international affairs. Its ambitions were underscored in 2023 when it brokered a surprise rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran and pledged to take on a “constructive role” in resolving global flashpoints. Analysts say China’s recent confidence has been reinforced by its willingness to confront the United States in trade negotiations.
However, US President Donald Trump’s declaration that Washington will temporarily oversee Venezuela’s government presents a major challenge to the “all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership” forged between Beijing and Caracas in 2023, nearly five decades after the two countries established diplomatic ties.
“It was a big blow to China. We wanted to be seen as a dependable friend to Venezuela,” a Chinese government official said, citing a meeting between Maduro and China’s special representative for Latin American and Caribbean affairs, Qiu Xiaoqi, just hours before Maduro’s capture.
The official added that Maduro’s son, who studied at Peking University and visited the institution again in 2024, may now reconsider returning to China, despite years of diplomatic engagement surrounding his education and ties to the country.
China has provided Venezuela with a crucial economic lifeline since the United States and its allies intensified sanctions in 2017. In 2024, Beijing purchased an estimated US$1.6 billion worth of Venezuelan goods, nearly half of which was crude oil, according to customs data. Chinese state-owned oil companies had also invested about US$4.6 billion in Venezuela by 2018, based on figures from the American Enterprise Institute.
