China has slammed the United States for its arbitrary seizure of other countries' ships amid rising tensions in the Caribbean region.
"The practice of the US arbitrarily seizing the ships of other countries is a serious violation of international law," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing, Monday, December 22, reported by ANTARA from Anadolu.
"China opposes unilateral and illegal sanctions that have no basis in international law or no authorization from the UN Security Council," Lin continued.
China's statement came as US forces hunted down another Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean. If the ship is seized, it will be the third ship the US has intercepted since December 10.
Lin stressed that China opposed any steps that violated the purposes of the UN Charter and harmed the sovereignty and security of other countries.
Beijing also firmly rejects all forms of unilateralism and bullying.
"Venezuela has the right to independently develop mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries, and we believe that the international community can understand and support Venezuela's stance in defending its own rights," Lin said.
The US Coast Guard operation targeted the Bella 1 tanker, a Panama-flagged vessel subject to US sanctions and sailing to Venezuela to load oil, Bloomberg reported on Sunday (21/12).
This incident occurred after the boarding of the supertanker Centuries on Saturday and the Skipper on December 10.
This incident also occurred amid rising tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Previously, US President Donald Trump had declared the implementation of a "total and complete blockade" of oil tankers subject to sanctions entering or leaving Venezuela.
Venezuela denounced the US action as an "international piracy."
Washington said the measures were aimed at eradicating corruption and the narcotics trade.
Meanwhile, Caracas accused the US of using drug eradication efforts as an excuse to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro from power and control Venezuela's oil resources.
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