China slams US for ‘bullying’ Venezuela

BEIJING: China on Wednesday hit back at remarks from a top US official who warned Beijing and Moscow against supporting the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro, and called on Washington to stop "bullying" other countries.

The United States is one of more than 50 countries backing opposition leader Juan Guaido in Venezuela, whereas China and several other countries, including Russia, support Maduro.

On Tuesday, US National Security Advisor John Bolton urged China and Russia to avoid doing business with the Maduro government, after President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on all Venezuelan government assets in the US and barred transactions with its authorities. Bolton´s comments are "a wanton interference in Venezuela´s internal affairs," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying in an online statement. "China urges the US to... let the Venezuelan people decide their own future and immediately stop the bullying actions of suppressing other countries at every turn," she said.

Crisis-wracked Venezuela has been mired in a political impasse since January when Guaido, speaker of the National Assembly, proclaimed himself acting president, quickly receiving the support of more than 50 countries.