Maduro met Chinese envoy hours before US capture from Caracas as Beijing slams operation

Just hours earlier his seizure by the U.S., Venezuelan person Nicolás Maduro met with a Chinese envoy, highlighting the large powerfulness contention betwixt Washington and Beijing successful the Western Hemisphere.

Maduro received Qiu Xiaoqi, the Chinese government’s peculiar typical for Latin American affairs, astatine the Miraflores Presidential Palace connected Friday — reaffirming Caracas’ strategical ties with Beijing and pledging to physique what helium called a "multipolar satellite of improvement and peace.

Hours later, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had struck targets crossed Venezuela and taken Maduro and his woman into custody, flying them retired of the state arsenic portion of a melodramatic escalation of unit connected the embattled leader.

The U.S. cognition appears to people the astir nonstop U.S. subject enactment against a sitting caput of authorities successful Latin America since Panama successful 1989, with Trump’s medication framing the seizure arsenic the culmination of months of allegations that Maduro trafficked drugs into the United States and ruled illegitimately.

MADURO SAYS VENEZUELA IS 'READY' TO MAKE DEAL WITH US ON DRUGS AND OIL AFTER MILITARY STRIKES

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro received a Chinese authorities representative, Qiu Xiaoqi, astatine the statesmanlike palace successful Caracas connected Friday, hours earlier Maduro was captured by the U.S. (Anadolu Agency via Reuters)

China, meanwhile, said it was "deeply shocked" by the U.S. action. 

"China is profoundly shocked and powerfully condemns the U.S.'s blatant usage of unit against a sovereign authorities and its enactment against its president," Beijing's overseas ministry said successful a statement.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TARGETS MADURO’S INNER CIRCLE, FAMILY IN MAJOR NARCO-STATE CRACKDOWN

"Such hegemonic behaviour by the U.S. earnestly violates planetary law, infringes upon Venezuela's sovereignty, and threatens bid and information successful Latin America and the Caribbean. China firmly opposes it," it added.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro connected Sept 18, 2016. (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

China has provided billions of dollars successful financing and vigor concern to grow its power passim Latin America done its Belt and Road Initiative and is Caracas’ largest crude lipid importer.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Trump medication has openly rejected that trajectory. Senior officials person said the U.S. intends to reassert the Monroe Doctrine, a long-standing argumentation opposing overseas powers establishing strategical footholds successful the Americas, peculiarly authoritarian rivals specified arsenic China.

Venezuela has been a focal constituent of that competition. U.S. officials person accused Beijing, on with Russia and Iran, of propping up Maduro’s authorities arsenic it faced planetary isolation, economical illness and wide allegations of corruption and narcotrafficking.