China has accused the United States of violating international law following the interception of oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude, including vessels bound for China, as Washington intensifies maritime enforcement actions against Venezuela’s oil exports.

China’s Foreign Ministry said on December 22 that the seizure of foreign vessels amounted to a serious breach of international law.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Lin Jian, stated during a regular press briefing that Venezuela was entitled to develop economic relations with other countries and added that China opposed what it described as unilateral and illegal sanctions.

The remarks came after the US Coast Guard intercepted a second oil tanker in international waters off the Venezuelan coast on December 20.

The interception followed an announcement earlier this month by US President Donald Trump, who said the United States would impose a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.

According to documents cited by officials, the tanker Centuries had loaded crude oil in Venezuela under the false name Crag. The vessel was carrying approximately 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan Merey crude bound for China.

The documents indicated that the cargo had been purchased by Satau Tijana Oil Trading, one of several intermediaries involved in sales by Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA to Chinese independent refiners.

The White House said the tanker was falsely flagged and claimed it was operating as part of Venezuela’s shadow fleet transporting sanctioned oil.

US officials also confirmed that American forces were pursuing another sanctioned tanker and had seized at least two vessels as part of the enforcement campaign.

President Trump later stated that the oil seized from Venezuelan tankers would be retained by the United States and could be added to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He also indicated that the vessels involved might be kept by US authorities.

Venezuelan officials condemned the interception of the tanker, describing it as an act of international piracy.

In response, President Nicolás Maduro ordered military escorts for Venezuelan oil tankers. Sources said two large tankers preparing to sail to China would now travel under naval protection.

Washington said the deployments were part of maritime security and counter-narcotics operations, although it has not publicly released evidence linking targeted vessels to drug trafficking. Legal experts have questioned the legality of the strikes and interdictions carried out under the blockade.

US officials have openly linked the tanker seizures to efforts to increase pressure on the Maduro government. The US Department of Homeland Security said the interdictions were intended to send a message against what it described as illegal activity linked to Venezuela’s oil trade.

Venezuela has raised the issue at the United Nations, requesting an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the US blockade. China publicly supported the request. The UN Secretary-General later called for restraint and urged all parties to respect international law and the UN Charter.

China remains Venezuela’s largest oil buyer, with Venezuelan crude accounting for around four per cent of China’s total oil imports.

Analysts estimated that Venezuela shipped more than 600,000 barrels of crude per day to China in December, often using intermediaries and ageing tankers with opaque ownership structures.

References: Reuters, SCMP