China’s Wang Yi accuses US of playing ‘international policeman’ in Venezuela
Chinese foreign minister decries US bullying tactics as he meets Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar a day after military strikes on Caracas
Wang said the international landscape was becoming increasingly volatile, marked by growing unilateralism and what he described as bullying behaviour when discussing the sudden change of situation in Venezuela.
“China has never believed that any country can play the role of an international policeman, nor do we agree that any country can claim itself to be an international judge,” he said, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
The sovereignty and security of all countries should be fully protected under international law, Wang said, adding that China opposed the use or threat of force in international relations and rejected attempts to impose one country’s will on others.
His comments followed a US military raid early on Saturday in Caracas that resulted in the arrest and transfer of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife to the US for prosecution.
China’s foreign ministry later issued a statement strongly condemning Washington for using force against a sovereign state, calling the operation a serious violation of international law and an act of hegemonic coercion.