Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing cannot accept any country acting as the “world’s judge” after the United States captured Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro.

The world’s second-largest economy has provided Venezuela with an economic lifeline since the U.S. and its allies ramped up sanctions in 2017, purchasing roughly $1.6 billion worth of goods in 2024, the most recent full-year data available.

Almost half of China’s purchases were crude oil, customs data shows, while its state-owned oil giants had invested around $4.6 billion in Venezuela by 2018, according to data from the American Enterprise Institute think tank, which tracks Chinese overseas corporate investment.

  • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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    3 days ago

    I think they’re wrong. Their statement is basically that international law is meaningless and that they’re free to wage war without consequences.

    This was probably their endgame from the beginning, since they promoted and helped reelect Donald Trump. If it came out that Trump, Maduro, Putin, and Xi Jinping all conspired to make these events happen, I would not at all be surprised.

    • BoycottTwitter@lemmy.zip
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      3 days ago

      You’re getting downvotes but it might be because some people are surprised that Xi Jingping would support Trump but I’ve gathered some evidence it might be true.

      For starters we look at TikTok. Regarding TikTok this article is the most damning: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/how-tiktok-courted-conservatives-before-trumps-win (archive/non-paywall: https://archive.is/TUjo9)

      The top leaders pushed through content moderation changes that made TikTok more accepting of some conservative views on the fairness of elections or transgender rights, including by updating policies on banned content or enforcing them differently.

      I hate the way they worded that. What they really mean is allowing the big lie (false claims the 2020 election was rigged) and transphobia.

      See: https://www.theverge.com/politics/656717/trump-tiktok-ban-maga-influencers (archive link: https://archive.is/DMOLf)

      MAGA influencers also view TikTok as a relatively reliable platform to publish pro-Trump content without fear that their accounts will get demonetized, restricted, or worse, deactivated.

      Also see: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maga-republicans-defend-tiktok-conservative-platform-fate-hangs-balance-supreme-court (archive link: https://archive.is/RGBC8)

      “Trump won the election because he listened to first-time voters like myself and joined TikTok to get his message to us directly,” RNC Youth Advisory Council Chair Brilyn Hollyhand told Fox News Digital of the impending ban.

      Also see: https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-courts-john-bolton-politics-donald-trump-8a7ff9c4e60678aafcd7f430e49196ea

      President Donald Trump “pleaded” with China’s Xi Jinping during a 2019 summit to help his reelection prospects, according to a scathing new book by former Trump adviser John Bolton that accuses the president of being driven by political calculations when making national security decisions.

      Then we cannot forget about all the Chinese bots who post online. “China is pushing divisive political messages online using fake U.S. voters” https://www.npr.org/2024/09/03/nx-s1-5096151/china-tiktok-x-fake-voters-influence-campaign Says it very clearly. They used the same strategy Russia did.

      • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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        3 days ago

        Also, TikTok voluntarily went offline right before the ban’s due date, but then went right back online thanking Donald Trump 14 hours later without Trump having to do anything. I’ve also seen how they treat Donald Trump on the other psyops like Hexbear, he was the favored candidate by far for Tankies.

        • BoycottTwitter@lemmy.zip
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          I think I know what you’re talking about! The people who pretend to be “far-left”, socialist or communist but for some bizarre reason they keep supporting Russia.

          I had an experience with one of those people recently. I asked one of those people point blank do you support Trump and they completely dogged the question. Clicking on profiles of these types of people I notice they also never denounce Trump or Republicans or do so very rarely.

          I actually deeply regretfully used to be somewhat of a Trump supporter so now I’m very sensitive to people who may be secretly Trump supporters or those who have similar characteristics. Those “tankie” type people really peg my MAGA-meter. It’s almost like when someone has an abusive ex they tend to notice certain things more afterwards (I wish I could word this sentence better but hopefully people can understand).

          Ultimately what makes tankies and MAGA similar even if they are not secretly supporting Trump or a bot is belief persistence when there is contrary and reputable evidence and belief in conspiracy theories. Part of what helped me escape MAGA is media literacy and realizing that if someone presents reputable information that contradicts what I believe, I should change my beliefs not plug my ears and regurgitate conspiracy theories based on some random comment like a screenshot of a screenshot of a 4chan post or just saying nonsense like “I don’t trust the MSM”.

    • Gsus4@mander.xyz
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      3 days ago

      putin was quite happy to declare this multipolar law-free world. I hope he at least enjoys it, because I won’t.

        • FaceDeer@fedia.io
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          At least with Iraq the US pretended to be following international norms. The presented lies to the UN to justify their actions, they gathered allies into a “coalition.”

          • msage@programming.dev
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            3 days ago

            I can’t believe how you make their point better for them.

            It was always a farce.

            Fuck the US.

      • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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        Were you expecting the consequences to be instantaneous? Like, what, simultaneous nuclear strikes in retalliation?

        Even if proceedings started immediately there wouldn’t be changes to trade for weeks at a minimum and no sentencing for months or even years, but honestly proceedings aren’t likely to start until the individuals responsible lose political power.

            • reddit_sux@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              In spite of many of its economic and military misadventures, China hasn’t invaded anyone as of yet.

              That distinction is still important or else v shud sanction every country.

              • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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                3 days ago

                China is occupying Tibet and Hong Kong and claiming it owns Taiwan as well. It also frequently sends warships through seas owned by the Philippines where it has been illegally fishing and destroying Philippines fishing vessels. A couple of weeks ago Chinese authorities refused an Indian passport because they claimed that part of India belonged to China.

                Also, China waged war on it’s own people in Tienanmen Square.

                • hitmyspot@aussie.zone
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                  3 days ago

                  Hong Kong was returned to china by the UK as agreed when it was leased. None (few?) of the people living there at the time of handowver were alive when the agreement was made but they were living in Hong Kong on borrowed tine regardless, legally speaking. It’s a very different situation to an illegal invasion.

                  China not getting Hong Kong back as a territory would have been more damaging to international law and order and international treaties and agreements. International treaties and agreements are supposed to outlive those who agreed them. It’s between nations, not people.

                  • FaceDeer@fedia.io
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                    Yeah, much as I dislike how it turned out and how China has been ignoring what post-unification rules there were on Hong Kong, the return itself was above board. Had I been living in Hong Kong in the years leading up I’d have taken the opportunity to get out if at all possible.

                  • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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                    3 days ago

                    According to the BBC:

                    What was agreed for the future of Hong Kong?

                    China agreed to govern Hong Kong under the principle of “one country, two systems”, where the city would enjoy “a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs” for the next 50 years.

                    Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region, and would retain certain freedoms, including:

                    • an independent judiciary
                    • multiple political parties
                    • freedom of assembly and speech

                    The territory has its own mini-constitution - the Basic Law - that enshrines these rights.

                    It states that “the ultimate aim” is to elect the territory’s leader, the chief executive, “by universal suffrage” and “in accordance with democratic procedures”.

                    What actually happened is the Chinese Government immediately went in with their military, restructured the legislative body, and cracked down hard on any dissent.

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              • Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip
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                well not invaded anyone of recent. the last official one would be the short one in vietnam after vietnam ended the Khmer Rouge. this of course was nearly half a century ago though, so a lot of poeple online wouldn’t recall it because it wouldn’t be part of their generation.

            • mrdown@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              China is already sanctionned. There is no sanctions on the United Snakes

              • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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                3 days ago

                Welcome to the discussion. Glad you’re all caught up. Be sure to check for updates after more than 2 days have passed, likely 2 to 3 weeks.

    • rumba@lemmy.zip
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      3 days ago

      If it came out that Trump, Maduro, Putin, and Xi Jinping all conspired

      I think it’s more likely that Trump asked what he could get away with regarding seizing a bunch of money from another country, and Venezuela was a low-risk, high-reward.

    • CircaV@lemmy.ca
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      3 days ago

      Why? Maduro is such small beans compared to them? It’s low hanging fruit.

      • FiniteBanjo@feddit.online
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        3 days ago

        The point is, as China is illustrating, that if every world power does what they want then international laws don’t apply to any of them, as a way to justify their current occupations and use of force as well as future invasions.

        They’re saying “the world won’t protect you, ao why protect the world?”