China says US broke international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela

China accused the United States on Monday of violating international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela, as Washington intensified pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government and a senior US official openly suggested that he should be removed from power.

At a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the United States “seriously violated international law” by intercepting foreign vessels and reiterated China’s opposition to unilateral sanctions and coercive measures.

“The US practice of arbitrarily seizing other countries’ vessels seriously violates international law,” Lin said. China, he added, opposed actions that “infringe upon other countries’ sovereignty and security” and opposed “all acts of unilateralism and bullying”.