Dear Friend,

Tenā koe.

The recent blatant military strikes by the United States against Venezuela, resulting in the forcible seizure and abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, have sent shockwaves through the international community. This action constitutes not only an outright affront to Venezuela as an independent sovereign country but also a flagrant violation of the foundational principles of the UN Charter, seriously endangering global peace and stability. As the Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand, I’ like to share China’s firm position on this grave matter.

Firstly, this operation represents the most overt and unrestrained expression of the new Monroe Doctrine. It strips away any US pretense of maintaining the so-called “rules-based order”, revealing a foreign policy driven solely by power and self-interest. The historical pattern is clear: from overthrowing democratically elected governments in Guatemala and Chile to imposing decades-long embargoes on Cuba and Venezuela, from intervening militarily in Grenada to invading Panama, the Monroe Doctrine pursued by the US in Latin America and the Caribbean has been nothing but economic coercion, military subversion or brazen invasion and hegemonic control.

The now audacious kidnapping of a sitting head of a sovereign state marks a dangerous new low, demonstrating that this “Donroe doctrine” tramples on all principles of international law. It is not only a direct assault on Venezuela’s sovereignty and national dignity, but also a serious challenge to peace and security in the region and beyond. If left unchecked, what is unfolding in Venezuela today could happen to any country tomorrow. Condoning such “law of the jungle” behavior—whereby the strong bully the weak—would throw fairness and justice out of the window and push the world back toward a barbaric era of might-makes-right, dismantling the hard-won stability of the post-World War II order.

Secondly, the US action exposes the double standards of American imperialism. The US often portrays itself as a “defender of human rights” and a “beacon of democracy”, readily interfering in other countries’ internal affairs and imposing sanctions. Yet its own actions tell a different story.

In Iraq, the US waged war under the pretext of non-existent weapons of mass destruction. In Syria, it long supported extremist groups to overthrow the legitimate government. In Iran, citing the need to prevent nuclear development, it bypassed the United Nations and directly launched large-scale airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. In Afghanistan, its twenty-year so-called “democratic transformation” ultimately left behind a legacy of social disintegration, economic hardship, and the spread of terrorist forces.

Now, it has resorted to the outright kidnapping of a foreign leader—openly planning to “run” Venezuela’s affairs in defiance of all international norms. As US Senator Ruben Gallego aptly stated, America has turned from “the world cop” into “the world's bully”. Such hypocrisy severely damages US credibility and undermines global governance.

No country can act as a world policeman or claim to be an international judge. Major powers should demonstrate an even greater sense of responsibility, and lead by example in safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, rather than practicing “exceptionalism” and doing as they please.

The events unfolding in Venezuela constitute a perilous precedent. They are a stark reminder that US imperialism and hegemony, in any form, must be met with clear-eyed resolve. Appeasement only invites greater aggression. The international community must stand united in upholding the UN Charter, defending the fundamental principles of international justice, adhering to the sovereign equality of all countries to jointly safeguard world peace and development.

It is encouraging to see more and more voices in New Zealand’s media and civil society speaking out against this act of aggression and advocating for a multilateral order grounded in international law, rather than just being indifferent bystanders.

China is firmly committed to upholding justice in international affairs. We oppose the threat or use of force in international relations and reject imposing one country’s will on others. China strongly condemns the US’s unilateral, illegal, and bullying actions, firmly supports the Venezuelan government and people in safeguarding their sovereign security and legitimate rights and interests, and endorses regional efforts to preserve Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace.

We call for the immediate release of President Maduro and his wife, an end to interference in Venezuela, and a return to diplomatic dialogue. China stands ready to work with New Zealand and all nations to uphold true multilateralism, actively implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

A just cause enjoys the support of many, while an unjust one finds little. The US may secure a temporary advantage through force, but it does so at the profound cost of its own credibility and standing in the long term, placing it increasingly in the opposite side of international justice and the tide of history. If the US does not change its course, it will not only fail to “gain ‘Venezuela’ ”, but will also certainly lose the whole world.

Ngā mihi.

Sincerely yours,

Wang Xiaolong

Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand