By Zoila Palma: It took only hours for U.S. President Donald Trump to upend a relationship that China had spent decades cultivating in Venezuela, BBC reports.
Shortly before his capture in a surprise nighttime raid, President Nicolás Maduro had hailed Chinese leader Xi Jinping as an “older brother” and praised his global leadership during a meeting with senior Chinese diplomats, footage of which was prominently aired by Chinese state media.
China has invested heavily in oil-rich Venezuela, one of its closest partners in South America, backing hundreds of bilateral agreements and pouring billions of dollars into energy and infrastructure projects.
That carefully managed image of partnership was abruptly shattered when images emerged of Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed aboard a U.S. warship, underscoring how quickly Washington’s action altered Beijing’s calculus in the region.
Beijing joined a chorus of countries condemning the U.S. move, accusing Washington of acting like a “world judge” and violating international law.
Chinese officials insisted that the sovereignty and security of all nations must be respected, even as they sought to balance their response against the need to manage an already tense relationship with Trump and preserve China’s broader strategic interests in Latin America.
The episode has heightened Chinese concerns about U.S. intentions, particularly after Washington framed the seizure of Maduro as part of a broader effort to prevent rivals from gaining a foothold in the Western Hemisphere.
Analysts say Beijing now faces a dilemma: how to protect its long-term investments and influence without provoking further confrontation or jeopardizing fragile trade arrangements with the United States.
While China is unlikely to retreat from the region, the shock of Maduro’s capture has introduced new uncertainty into Beijing’s strategy toward the Global South.
The crisis risks deterring future Chinese investment and complicating ties with other Latin American governments wary of attracting U.S. pressure, leaving Beijing to navigate a volatile landscape created by a move it neither wanted nor anticipated.
The post International News: Trump’s seizure of Maduro shakes China’s long-built influence in Venezuela appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: It took only hours for U.S. President Donald Trump to upend a relationship that China had spent decades cultivating in Venezuela, BBC reports. Shortly before his capture in a surprise nighttime raid, President Nicolás Maduro had hailed Chinese leader Xi Jinping as an “older brother” and praised his global leadership during a
The post International News: Trump’s seizure of Maduro shakes China’s long-built influence in Venezuela appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
