China rejects ‘world judge' role after US detains Venezuela leader
China has sharply criticised what it described as unilateral actions by powerful nations, saying it cannot accept any country acting as a 'world judge,' following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks during talks with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Beijing on Sunday. Without directly naming Washington, Wang referred to the 'sudden developments in Venezuela' and stressed that no state has the right to behave as the world’s police or impose its will on others.
'The sovereignty, independence and security of all countries must be fully respected and protected under international law,' Wang said, in China’s first public response since images of the 63-year-old Venezuelan leader, blindfolded and handcuffed, circulated widely and shocked supporters at home and abroad.
Maduro has been transferred to a detention facility in New York and is expected to appear in court on drug-related charges. US President Donald Trump has said Washington will temporarily oversee Venezuela’s governance, a move that has drawn criticism from several countries.
The development poses a major diplomatic challenge for Beijing, which has built close political and economic ties with Caracas. China and Venezuela elevated their relationship to an 'all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership' in 2023, marking nearly five decades of diplomatic relations.
A Chinese official familiar with internal discussions said Maduro’s capture was a blow to Beijing’s efforts to project itself as a reliable partner to developing nations. The official noted that China had intensified engagement with Venezuela in recent years, including high-level exchanges and educational links involving Maduro’s family.
China has been a key economic backer of Venezuela since US-led sanctions were expanded in 2017. Trade data shows China purchased about $1.6 billion worth of Venezuelan goods in 2024, with crude oil accounting for nearly half. Chinese state-owned energy firms had invested an estimated $4.6 billion in Venezuela by 2018.
Beijing has increasingly positioned itself as a global diplomatic player, citing its role in mediating the Saudi-Iran rapprochement in 2023. Analysts say the Venezuela crisis will test China’s ambition to shape global affairs while countering US influence without direct confrontation.
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