By Admin 
China condemned the US military’s move to seize Venezuelan oil tankers in international waters, saying it was an arbitrary action. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has called it a violation of international law. The US Army stopped an oil tanker near the Venezuelan coast on Saturday (20 December 2025), after which the statement of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian has come to light.
In this regard, a White House official had claimed that it was part of a so-called shadow fleet. A shadow fleet is a secret network of ships, often consisting of old tankers, that hide their identities and transport contraband (oil, weapons) from one place to another, in order to circumvent international sanctions and regulations.
‘US actions violate international law’
Lin Jian said that America’s arbitrary seizure of foreign ships is a violation of international law. “China always opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council,” he said. It also opposes any actions that violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, violate the sovereignty and security of other countries, or constitute unilateral threats.
Lin said Venezuela has the right to freely develop mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries, and China believes the international community understands and supports Venezuela’s position in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests.
America is increasing its army near Venezuela
Recently, America has been continuously increasing its military deployment in the waters near Venezuela. Last week, US President Donald Trump had declared the Nicolas Maduro government a foreign terrorist organization. Trump has ordered a complete and total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, targeting Venezuela’s economic lifeline.
Maduro condemned this and accused the US of starting a new era of criminal naval plunder in the Caribbean region. The US military action against Venezuela is a matter of concern for China, as it has had close strategic relations with Venezuela for decades. China and Russia are Venezuela’s two main partners. China is the largest buyer of Venezuelan crude oil.