Business

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that Beijing cannot accept any country acting as the "world's judge" following the capture of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro by the United States. During a meeting with Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Beijing on Sunday, Wang remarked, "We have never believed that any nation can serve as the world's police, nor do we accept that any country can claim to be the world's judge." He referred to "sudden developments in Venezuela" without specifically naming the U.S. Wang emphasized that the sovereignty and security of all nations should be fully safeguarded under international law. These comments came after shocking images of the 63-year-old Maduro, blindfolded and handcuffed, emerged on Saturday, leaving Venezuelans stunned. Maduro is currently in a detention center in New York and is set to appear in court on Monday to face drug charges. China aims to enhance its influence in global diplomacy, a goal it made clear after facilitating a surprising reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023, promising to "play a constructive role in global hotspot issues." Experts believe that China's strong performance in trade negotiations with the U.S. has boosted its confidence. However, President Donald Trump's statement that the U.S. will manage Venezuela's government for now presents a significant challenge to the "all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership" that Beijing and Caracas established in 2023, marking nearly 50 years of diplomatic relations. A Chinese government official, who was informed about a meeting between Maduro and China's special representative for Latin America and Caribbean affairs, Qiu Xiaoqi, just hours before Maduro's capture, described the situation as a major setback for China. "We wanted to appear as a reliable friend to Venezuela," the official said. Maduro's son had recently visited Peking University in China in 2024, where he enrolled in 2016, though it remains uncertain if he will return despite years of diplomatic efforts regarding his education and connections with China. Since the U.S. and its allies intensified sanctions in 2017, the world's second-largest economy has offered Venezuela significant economic support, purchasing about $1.6 billion worth of goods in 2024, according to the latest complete year of data.