By Berk Kutay Gokmen
ISTANBUL (AA) – China said on Wednesday that it opposes “external interference” in Venezuela's domestic affairs after US President Donald Trump said it carried out a strike on a narcotics vessel.
“China opposes the threat of use of force in international relations and opposes external interference in Venezuela’s domestic affairs under any pretext,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference in Beijing.
“China supports the effort of combating cross-border crimes through stronger international cooperation, opposes the US unilateral and excessive enforcement operations against other countries and vessels, and, of course, calls on the US to engage in normal law enforcement and judicial cooperation through bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks,” he added.
The comments from Beijing came in response to Trump's remarks on Tuesday, in which he claimed that the US carried out another strike on "a narco-trafficking vessel" off the coast of Venezuela, killing six alleged narcotics traffickers.
It was the fifth strike that the US carried out in recent weeks, targeting vessels allegedly carrying illegal drugs.