Chinese Envoy Voices Five 'Oppositions' to US' Seizure of Venezuelan Oil Tankers

By Global Times

Dec 24, 2025 09:57 AM

Sun Lei, deputy permanent representative of China to the UN, speaks during the United Nations (UN) Security Council briefing at UN headquarters in New York, New York, USA, 23 December 2025. Photo: VCG

A Chinese envoy on Tuesday at the UN Security Council slammed the US infringe upon other countries' sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights and interests, seriously violate the UN Charter and international law, and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean, as the US government is pursuing to block third oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela amid its latest move to heighten pressure on Nicolas Maduro's government.

Speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council requested by Venezuela and backed by China and Russia, Sun Lei, deputy permanent representative of China to the UN, said that for some time now, under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, the US has continued to increase its military deployment in the waters of the Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela. 

It has escalated sanctions, blockades, and military threats against Venezuela and claimed to have sunk Venezuelan vessels, shot dead crew members, and seized oil tankers. It has designated the Venezuelan Government as a foreign terrorist organization, claimed that Venezuela's territory, oil, and assets belong to the US and even threatened military strikes against the Venezuelan territory, Sun noted. 

Tensions escalated further on December 10 when the US announced that the country had seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, claiming that the Venezuelan government was using oil revenues to finance criminal activities, Anadolu Agency reported.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has sent a formal appeal to all 193 UN member states and Caribbean leaders, warning of an "escalation of extremely serious aggression" by the US, the report said.

At the UN meeting, Sun said China attaches importance to President Maduro's recent open letter. 

He continued that China opposes all acts of unilateralism and bullying, and supports all countries in defending their sovereignty and national dignity. China stands against any move that violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and infringes upon other countries' sovereignty and security, against the threat or use of force in international relations, against external interference in Venezuela's internal affairs under any pretext, and against illicit unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law or authorization by the Security Council. 

The Chinese ambassador called the US to heed the just call of the international community, immediately halt relevant actions, and avoid further escalation of tensions. 

Recent air and maritime restrictions amid rising tensions between the US and Venezuela risk further worsening the South American country's already "fragile" economy and deepening humanitarian suffering, Anadolu Agency reported citing a senior UN official Tuesday.

Global Times