By Staff, Agencies

China has strongly condemned Washington’s actions in Venezuela, asserting that no nation has the authority to act as a global policeman or dictate the affairs of sovereign states.

The statement came after the United States launched a military operation in Caracas, abducting President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

China Daily denounced the kidnapping on Sunday, condemning a wave of frenzied military actions that included airstrikes across Venezuelan territory and an attempt to impose external control over the country’s political and economic future.

In an editorial, the Chinese newspaper said it was “deeply shocked” by the blatant use of force against at least four Venezuelan states before the "seizure" of Maduro and his wife from the country, characterizing the operation as a blatant act of aggression against a sovereign state.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday that the events in Venezuela have drawn serious international concern, stressing that Beijing opposes unilateral actions and the use of force in global affairs.

"We do not believe that any country can act as an international policeman, and we do not agree that any country can claim to be an international judge," Wang said during a joint press conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Beijing.

He added that the sovereignty and security of all nations must be respected and protected under international law.

"We consistently oppose the threat or use of force in international relations and the imposition of one country's will on another," he said.

Following Moscow’s lead, Beijing joined the international outcry against the US operation. Both countries demanded the immediate release of Maduro and Flores, stressing that the abduction constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty.

The developments have intensified calls for de-escalation, with global powers warning against the dangerous precedent of unilateral military interventions and regime change operations.

Maduro is set to face federal court in New York at 17:00 GMT on January 5, starting a high-profile case over alleged drug and weapons charges.

Reportedly, a newly unsealed indictment by the US Justice Department accuses Maduro of running a “corrupt, illegitimate government” supported by an extensive drug-trafficking operation that allegedly flooded the US with thousands of tons of cocaine.

The Venezuelan president faces four charges: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

It is noteworthy that all allegations have been widely disputed and tied to the US pursuit of Venezuela’s oil, with Trump announcing plans to seize it as Maduro was kidnapped.