China says US seizure of Maduro threatens Beijing’s interests in Venezuela

China has expressed alarm after US forces seized Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, in an operation that has upended the government of one of Beijing’s designated “all‑weather” strategic partners in Latin America. Hours before his capture, Maduro met a Chinese delegation in the presidential palace in Caracas and wrote on Telegram of a “fraternal meeting” with China’s special envoy, Qiu Xiaoqi.

Beijing has led international condemnation of the US action, called for Maduro’s release and backed a UN security council meeting requested by Colombia to debate the seizure. China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, said: “We have never believed that any country can act as the world’s police, nor do we accept that any nation can claim to be the world’s judge.” Beijing is also weighing financial and energy risks.

Venezuela has received about $106bn in commitments from Chinese official lenders between 2000 and 2023, according to AidData, and its debts to China in 2024 were thought to total about $10bn. Bloomberg reported that China’s top financial regulator has asked major lenders to report their exposure to Venezuela, citing unnamed sources.

Analysts cited in the report warned Chinese banks could face significant losses if US pressure shifted repayments in favour of other creditors. China is also the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude after years of loan‑for‑oil deals; a tanker bound for China and thought to be carrying Venezuelan oil was seized by US forces in December.

Key Topics

World, China, Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela, Chinese Banks, Venezuelan Oil