China strongly condemned the United States’ capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, calling for their immediate release and denouncing what it described as Washington’s continued practice of toppling sovereign governments. Beijing warned that the operation put China’s extensive political and economic stakes in Venezuela at risk, after investing nearly 105.6 billion dollars in loans and development projects over the years. The U.S. action came just hours after Chinese envoys reportedly met Maduro, intensifying tensions between Washington and Beijing. While it remains unclear whether the Chinese delegation was still in Venezuela during the strikes, China’s sharp response underscores the broader geopolitical fallout of the operation.