Beijing must rethink overseas security presence after US Maduro capture, says analyst

THE U.S. military's seizure of Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro from the capital Caracas on Saturday (January 3) in the dead of night will be a litmus test of Beijing's assertion that it can play a role in resolving global hotspot issues without following Washington down the military route.

AI Brief

Chinese experts say countries expect more than rhetoric from Beijing but China will stick to diplomacy, not military action.
Xi Jinping calls on nations to uphold UN principles and international law without naming the US or Venezuela.
Analysts warn US intervention challenges China's non-intervention stance and raises concerns over Taiwan and sovereignty.

"Countries who are threatened by the U.S., what they expect from China is not just rhetorical support. They need actions. They need concrete measures," Dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, Wu Xinbo, said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday (January 6).

"We have to, as I mentioned, think more and more about our overseas security presence, not only to protect our overseas interests, but also to provide necessary support to countries with close political and economic relations with China."

Leolino Dourado, a researcher at the Center for China and Asia-Pacific Studies at Universidad del Pacifico in Lima, noted the implications for Beijing regarding Taiwan and other issues. "The biggest concern for Beijing... concerns the erosion of the principle of non-intervention. The U.S. seems to want to be the world police, which is very concerning for China because that could mean interference in what China considers domestic affairs," he said.

China follows a policy of non-intervention and routinely criticizes military activity conducted without the UN Security Council's approval, and Dourado believes Beijing is unlikely to escalate tensions militarily and will instead rely on statements, diplomatic outreach, and engagement at institutions like the United Nations. "But in terms of what China can actually do about it... we should not expect much in terms of concrete actions," he added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday (January 5) urged all countries to abide by international law and the UN principles. He said major powers should set an example, while stopping short of naming the U.S. or Venezuela.