With Venezuela raid, US tells China to keep away from AmericasBeijing’s bet on relations with Caracas might backfire, although Donald Trump’s China policy has concessions and assertive new stancesBy Michael Martina, Trevor Hunnicutt and David Brunnstrom / Reuters, WASHINGTONAmong the many goals of the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3 was to send China a message: Stay away from the Americas. The Venezuela operation appeared to tilt US policy in a more hawkish direction. Those systems did little to impede a raid that US officials boasted had been conducted without any losses. “They are also noticing how China’s diplomatic assurances to Iran and Venezuela resulted in zero meaningful protection when the US military arrived,” Sobolik said. “Beijing wants Washington to accept that Asia is in China’s sphere and no doubt hopes that the US will get bogged down in Venezuela,” Russel said.
