China’s president urges major countries to follow international law

(MENAFN) China’s president on Monday delivered a sharp warning against what he described as coercive and one-sided behavior on the global stage, calling on influential nations to respect international law and the foundations of the international system, according to reports.

“All countries should respect the development paths chosen by the peoples of other nations, and abide by international law, as well as the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, with major countries taking the lead in doing so,” Xi Jinping said.

The remarks were made during talks in Beijing with Ireland’s prime minister, as stated by reports.

The Chinese leader’s comments came amid heightened international tensions following a US military operation in Venezuela over the weekend that resulted in the detention of the country’s president and first lady, who were later transferred to the United States.

“In a world beset with changes and chaos, unilateral and bullying acts are severely undermining the international order,” Xi said.

According to reports, the United States carried out what was described as a large-scale operation targeting Caracas on Saturday, leading to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The two were subsequently taken to New York to face criminal proceedings.

Reports citing Venezuelan officials said around 80 people were killed during the US raid.

Maduro and Flores are currently being held at a detention facility in Brooklyn, where they face US federal charges related to drug trafficking and alleged links to groups designated as terrorist organizations.

Maduro has rejected the accusations, while authorities in Caracas have demanded the release of the couple, according to officials familiar with the matter.

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