(MENAFN) China on Tuesday affirmed that its relationship with Venezuela is “sovereign” and rejected what it described as “excessive” US operations targeting vessels, following a series of American strikes in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

Beijing stressed that its cooperation with Venezuela under President Nicolás Maduro is not directed at any third party and cannot be disrupted or influenced by external actors, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press briefing in Beijing.

Mao addressed concerns over Venezuela reportedly seeking missiles, drones, and other military equipment from China, Russia, and Iran to counter potential US attacks. She said, “China has a clear-cut stance on the US cracking down on so-called drug cartels by force in the Caribbean Sea,” while supporting “the efforts of combating cross-border crimes through stronger international cooperation” and opposing the use of force in international affairs.

Beijing also emphasized that it “stands against the moves that undermine peace and stability in the LAC (Latin American and Caribbean) region and opposes unilateral and excessive enforcement operations against other countries’ vessels,” Mao added.

US forces have conducted more than a dozen strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels since September, primarily in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in at least 64 deaths. Mao urged the United States to pursue law enforcement through “normal law enforcement and judicial cooperation” under bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks.

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