Beijing also urges negotiations to ease tensions brought by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
During a news conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian commented on the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are being held illegally in a prison facility in New York City.
Lin said the “forced capture” of the Venezuelan leader, as well as the detention of any sitting president and transfer to a foreign court, constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, undermining the principles of sovereignty and noninterference in the internal affairs of other states.
Lin reiterated his country’s firm opposition to such actions and expressed support for Venezuela in defending its sovereignty, dignity and legitimate rights.
His remarks came one day before the date set by a federal court in New York for the second hearing of Maduro and Flores, which was rescheduled for March 26 after an agreement between prosecutors and the defense.
Their initial appearance before that court took place Jan. 5, just two days after U.S. forces kidnapped the Venezuelan president in Caracas.
At that time, Maduro pleaded not guilty to the charges, rejected the accusations, declared himself a “prisoner of war,” and emphasized that he is the legitimate president of the Venezuelan state.
His defense attorneys dismissed the charges brought by U.S. prosecutors, describing the case as baseless and politically motivated.
The charges against Maduro include alleged crimes related to drug trafficking and arms trafficking, accusations that Venezuelan authorities have denounced as unfounded and part of a campaign to justify intervention against the South American country.
More specifically, Caracas has questioned the legitimacy of those accusations, noting that an earlier charge accusing Maduro of leading the so-called “Cartel of the Suns” was withdrawn due to a lack of concrete evidence.
China Condemns U.S. Blockade Against Cuba
At the same news conference, Lin also denounced the U.S. blockade against Cuba, which has persisted for six decades and has been tightened by restrictions on transporting oil to the Caribbean island.
He said China firmly opposes the abuse of unilateral sanctions by the United States and strongly supports Cuba in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, defending its sovereignty and security, and resisting all external interference.
Lin urged Washington to immediately lift its blockade and sanctions against Cuba and to end all pressure on the island under any pretext, which is also an overwhelming demand of the international community.
China Warns of Consequences of U.S.-Israeli War on Iran
The Chinese diplomat warned of a “vicious cycle” if the war intensifies in the Middle East, urging all parties involved in the conflict to end military operations and return to negotiations.
The statement came as Lin responded to a question about pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Over the weekend, the Republican leader had threatened to “destroy” Iran’s power plants if the Persian nation did not fully reopen the strait within 48 hours.
On Monday, Trump said the United States and Iran had held “very good and productive talks on a full and complete resolution of our hostilities,” signaling a new shift in his rhetoric. Iranian authorities, however, denied those claims.
China is currently leading a mediation initiative alongside Türkiye and Egypt to halt the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which is already affecting global energy security and trade.
The Chinese government is willing to strengthen coordination with the international community to address supply and production challenges stemming from these tensions.
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: teleSUR – CGTN
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