China slams US for ‘arbitrarily seizing’ ships, extends support to Venezuela
China says the United States’ arbitrary seizure of other countries’ vessels is a serious violation of international law after the US interception of a China-bound oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast further escalated tensions in the Caribbean.
“By arbitrarily seizing other countries’ vessels, the US has seriously violated international law,” China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a daily press briefing on Monday.
He expressed China’s opposition to “unilateral illicit sanctions that lack basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council.”
He said Beijing also opposes any move that breaches the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, infringes upon other countries’ sovereignty and security, and constitutes unilateralism and bullying.
The spokesman supported Venezuela’s right to independently develop mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries.
“We believe Venezuela’s position of defending its legitimate rights and interests has the understanding and support of the international community,” Lin said.
On December 20, the US Coast Guard seized a second oil tanker in international waters off the Venezuelan coast which, according to TankerTrackers, is a Chinese‑owned, Panama‑flagged tanker.
The site said the ship, Centuries, had been loaded with 1.8 million barrels of crude oil at a Venezuelan port earlier this month before being escorted out of the country’s exclusive economic zone on December 18.
The documents showed that the crude was bought by Satau Tijana Oil Trading, one of many intermediaries involved in Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA's sales to Chinese independent refiners.
US President Donald Trump’s administration claims that Venezuela is using oil, its main resource, to finance “narcoterrorism.”
Since September, the US military has also conducted a series of airstrikes on alleged drug‑trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Critics have questioned the legality of these attacks, which have killed more than 100 people.
Caracas denies any involvement in drug trafficking and says Washington is seeking to remove President Nicolas Maduro from power and gain control over Venezuela's oil resources.
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China slams US for ‘arbitrarily seizing’ ships, extends support to Venezuela
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