China has issued a sharp rebuke of the United States during an emergency UN Security Council session on January 5, 2026, condemning Washington's recent military operation in Venezuela as a violation of international law. Deputy Permanent Representative Sun Lei criticized the U.S. for its January 3 operation that forcibly transferred Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to New York to face criminal charges, calling the act "unilateral, illegal, and bullying."
Sun emphasized that the U.S. actions disregarded repeated international concerns over sanctions and threats against Venezuela, directly undermining principles of sovereignty and non-interference enshrined in the UN Charter. He warned that prioritizing military force over diplomacy risks destabilizing Latin America and the Caribbean, citing historical U.S. interventions that led to prolonged conflicts.
China reaffirmed its support for Venezuela's sovereignty and urged the U.S. to resolve disputes through dialogue. Sun stressed that no nation should act as a "global police" and called for collective efforts to uphold regional stability.
