BEIJING - China has accused the United States of "interfering in the internal affairs of Venezuela" in response to new tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. These tariffs will target countries purchasing Venezuelan oil and gas, with the new measures set to take effect on April 2. China, the largest importer of Venezuelan oil, is directly impacted by these tariffs.
The Chinese government has called for the removal of the "illegal unilateral sanctions" against Venezuela, which has faced U.S. sanctions for years. In his announcement on Monday, Trump accused Venezuela of sending "tens of thousands of high-ranking criminals and others" to the United States, "deliberately and deceitfully."
The growing tension between the U.S. and Venezuela, exacerbated by these new sanctions, has drawn strong reactions from China, which continues to assert its support for Venezuela in the face of U.S. pressures.