Will China come to Venezuela's rescue?

"In Beijing's view, Washington's escalation which includes seizing Venezuelan oil tankers, striking alleged drug-smuggling boats and imposing a blockade off the Venezuelan coast is a textbook example of American unilateralism, infringing on another country's sovereignty and violating the United Nations Charter. During a December 17 call with his Venezuelan counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi voiced opposition to US unilateral bullying and expressed his support for Venezuela's right to defend its sovereignty and national dignity."

"As a result, today it is South America's top trading partner; it is also the second-largest trading partner of Mexico, one of the US's closest allies in the region. China's engagement with Latin American countries is fuelled by the high degree of complementarity between their economies. Agricultural goods notably soya beans from Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay have improved China's food security, especially during its trade war with the US."

China condemns US escalation against Venezuela, viewing actions such as seizing oil tankers, striking suspected drug-smuggling boats and enforcing a naval blockade as unilateral violations of sovereignty and the UN Charter. Beijing publicly supports Venezuela's right to defend its sovereignty and national dignity but has offered Caracas no material assistance beyond rhetoric, reflecting caution about being drawn into a distant conflict and demonstrating limits of Chinese influence in Latin America. Over two decades China became South America's top trading partner and expanded trade in agricultural goods, minerals like lithium, and growing EV exports, while Chinese telecom firms gained regional market access.

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