China Slams US Over Maduro’s Arrest, Warns Against Acting as ‘Global Policeman’
China has openly criticised the United States following the dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, warning that no single country has the right to function as the world’s judge or enforcer, according to a report by Reuters.
Beijing’s sharp reaction came after images of a blindfolded and handcuffed Maduro circulated widely on Saturday, triggering shock and anger across Venezuela.
The Venezuelan leader has since been transferred to a detention facility in New York and is expected to appear in court on Monday on drug-related charges.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in his first public remarks on the issue, conveyed China’s position during talks with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Beijing.
Wang stressed that China has never subscribed to the idea that any nation can act as the world’s police and underlined that international law requires respect for the sovereignty and security of all states.
The arrest has also complicated China’s long-standing strategic relationship with Caracas.
US President Donald Trump has stated that Washington will temporarily oversee Venezuela’s governance, a move that has reportedly unsettled Beijing.
A Chinese government official, speaking to Reuters, described the development as “a major blow” to China’s image, noting that Beijing had invested considerable effort in projecting itself as a reliable and steadfast partner to Venezuela.
China’s deep engagement with the Maduro family has also come under renewed scrutiny. Officials revealed that Maduro’s son had studied at Peking University, one of China’s most prestigious institutions, enrolling in 2016 and visiting again in 2024.
However, they admitted uncertainty over whether he would return, despite years of careful diplomatic outreach centred on education and elite-level ties.
Beijing has been a crucial economic lifeline for Caracas since Washington tightened sanctions on Venezuela in 2017. In 2024 alone, China imported roughly $1.6 billion worth of Venezuelan goods, nearly half of which consisted of crude oil, according to Reuters data.
Chinese investment in Venezuela’s energy sector has also been substantial. By 2018, state-owned Chinese oil companies had poured approximately $4.6 billion into Venezuelan projects, figures cited by the American Enterprise Institute show.
With Maduro now in US custody and Washington asserting direct influence over Caracas, analysts say China’s political and economic stakes in Venezuela face their most serious test yet.
