China backs Venezuela after Trump orders oil tanker blockade

Bloomberg News on Dec 17, 2025

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China’s top diplomat expressed support for Venezuela on Wednesday, criticizing one-sided coercion hours after President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of oil tankers to ratchet up pressure on the South American nation.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil that Beijing opposes “unilateral bullying” and supports all countries in safeguarding their sovereignty and national dignity, according to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry.

While Wang did not name the U.S. directly, the remarks came less than a day after Trump announced the naval action on social media. The move marks a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign to oust the nation’s socialist leader Nicolas Maduro.

Wang added that Venezuela has the right to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries, and that China believes the international community supports Venezuela’s position.

On Tuesday, the Republican ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of the country.

“The shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

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