The Trump administration’s reported demand for exclusive access to Venezuelan oil production is a “typical act of bullying,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
“Venezuela is a sovereign country and enjoys full and permanent sovereignty over its natural resources and all economic activities,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing in Beijing.
“The United States’ reckless use of force against Venezuela and its demand that Venezuela dispose of its oil resources under the principle of ‘America First’ constitute bullying behavior, seriously violate international law, gravely infringe upon Venezuela’s sovereignty, and severely harm the rights of the Venezuelan people,” she said. “China strongly condemns this.”
Beijing’s comments follow an ABC News report that the Trump administration told Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s interim president, that in order to continue oil production, her country must agree to partner exclusively with the U.S. and sever economic ties with China, Russia, Iran and Cuba. China, one of Venezuela’s main allies, buys the majority of its crude oil exports, though they make up a small percentage of China’s overall oil purchases.