US raid on Venezuela draws China–Taiwan comparisons but may not shift Beijing's stance

The United States revealed details of a surprise operation to seize Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, who was taken to the US and brought before a New York court on Monday; the raid prompted immediate comparisons in China to how an assault on Taiwan might play out. Commentators and analysts drew parallels in the imbalance of power: China, with more than 1.4 billion people and the region’s largest armed forces, has long claimed Taiwan, a self‑governing island of 23 million, while the article compared that dynamic to the US and Venezuela, a middle‑income country of about 30 million that depends on friendly states for defence.

Beijing, scholars and officials say, treats Taiwan as a domestic matter not governed by international law — Ryan Hass said Beijing “has pursued a strategy of coercion without violence,” and Shen Dingli said the US action “holds no relevance for cross‑strait relations.” Military considerations were highlighted: the PLA recently conducted intense drills around Taiwan intended to show blockade capabilities, while the US Department of Defense believes the PLA is on track to reach its 2027 goal of a “strategic decisive victory” over Taiwan, citing rapid advances in military artificial intelligence, biotechnology and hypersonic missiles.

Key Topics

World, Nicolás Maduro, China, Taiwan, People's Liberation Army, International Law