Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning

Latin American countries are all sovereign and independent nations with the right to independently choose their partners, Mao Ning, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry (FM), told a press conference on Monday. 

These remarks were made in response to a media inquiry regarding reports saying that US President Donald Trump, when meeting with oil executives at White House, claimed that China and Russia can only purchase Venezuelan crude oil under US control, and if the US didn't take control of Venezuela's oil, Russia or China would have. Reuters also reported that among the many goals of the US military operation in Venezuela was to send China a message: stay away from the Americas.

In response, Mao said that no matter how the situation changes, China will continue to deepen practical cooperation with Latin American countries, including Venezuela, and promote common development.

On January 7, when asked how China plans to safeguard its energy interests and maintain the continuity of supplies and projects in light of recent illegal military actions, Mao said that the US has long imposed illicit unilateral sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry and blatantly used force against Venezuela recently. 

"This has dealt a severe blow to the economic and social order in Venezuela and threatened the stability of global industrial and supply chains. China has strongly condemned this," Mao noted, adding that cooperation between China and Venezuela is cooperation between sovereign states and protected by international law and the laws of the two countries.

Global Times