BEIJING, Dec 17 (Reuters) – China opposed what it called ‘unilateral bullying’ after the U.S. ordered a blockade on tankers entering and leaving oil-rich Venezuela. However, China did not detail how it would support the South American country or if it would offer any refuge to its embattled leader.
Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump commanded a full blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers leaving or approaching Venezuelan waters, as Washington gathered troops and warships in the region.
Wang didn’t mention the United States or Trump in the official report of the call. He also didn’t go into detail about the type or extent of support that China might provide to Venezuela, a country with which Beijing has claimed a strong friendship.
Trump stated that the U.S. is targeting Venezuela’s main revenue stream in its efforts against terrorism, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. Recently, the U.S. Coast Guard captured an oil tanker near the Venezuelan coast.
President Nicolas Maduro accused the U.S. of wanting Venezuela’s oil resources and said that the military buildup is aimed at his removal. In a Politico interview, Trump remarked that Maduro’s time was ‘limited, opens new tab’. China has long offered credit lines to Venezuela through oil-based loan agreements. This year, Maduro expressed to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a Moscow meeting that Venezuela is eager to boost trade and energy collaboration with China.
For years, China has extended credit lines to Venezuela under loans-for-oil deals. In a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow this year, Maduro told Xi that Venezuela was looking forward to expanding cooperation in trade and energy.
At the same time, Beijing has been making an intense effort to co-exist with the U.S., its most important trading partner. After months of acrimonious dispute over trade and tariffs, Trump and Xi in October managed to hammer out a consensus on how to handle thorny trade issues.
China says it opposes any acts that violate the UN Charter or encroach on the sovereignty and security of other countries.