China Condemns U.S. Over Interception of Venezuelan Fishing Vessel: «Unilateral Overreach» and Violation of International Law

The Government of the People’s Republic of China condemned the United States for intercepting and detaining a Venezuelan fishing vessel near the Caribbean nation’s coast, denouncing the operation as «unilateral overreach» and a flagrant violation of international law.

The Asian nation’s position was expressed by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during the ministry’s daily press briefing.

The rebuke comes amid rising tensions in the Caribbean, marked by a U.S. military buildup that the Trump administration has justified as part of anti-narcotics operations.

As part of that campaign, Washington deployed eight ships and a submarine to the Caribbean Sea, destroying at least three vessels it accused—without providing evidence—of transporting drugs from Venezuela to the U.S., leaving 14 people dead.

Venezuela has reported these actions to international bodies such as the United Nations, calling them a threat to its sovereignty.

Answering a question from teleSUR’s correspondent, Lin Jian said Beijing opposes the United States «unilaterally exceeding the reasonably necessary limits to carry out so-called law enforcement against vessels of other nations.»

He also reiterated that China rejects any attempt by «external forces» to interfere in Venezuela’s internal affairs under any pretext.

In addition, he noted that President Xi Jinping’s administration has urged the Republican magnate’s team to act through bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks geared toward judicial cooperation.

Support for Latin America as a Zone of Peace

The official emphasized that Beijing supports declarations proclaiming Latin America and the Caribbean a Zone of Peace, as well as an initiative by 33 countries in the region «to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone and reject any action that undermines regional stability,» according to TeleSUR.

Finally, he said China opposes «the use of force or the threat of force in international relations,» and backs international cooperation to combat transnational crime, provided it respects states’ sovereignty.

U.S. intercepted another Venezuelan fishing boat

China’s diplomatic statement came after the United States Armed Forces carried out a new strike on a fishing boat off Venezuela’s coast, killing six people on board, as announced by Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Trump said the vessel was «affiliated with a designated terrorist organization,» but he did not name any group or provide evidence to support the claim.

This is at least the fifth time the United States has announced an operation of this kind—actions that Venezuela has denounced as violations of international law and of legal protections for human rights.

President Nicolás Maduro’s government has condemned previous U.S. bombings against civilians on the high seas. Officials in Caracas have stated that these people «were not intercepted—which would have saved their lives—but were clearly killed.»

They also point to Washington’s insistence on acting with a «license to kill» and violating human rights, despite the lack of evidence or solid public information about these attacks.

Officials warn that the Trump administration is trying to portray Venezuela as a «narco-state» to justify a potential military aggression.