China has congratulated Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on his re-election, despite the results being disputed by Venezuela’s opposition and several regional observers.
In a statement on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian expressed Beijing’s approval of the Venezuelan electoral process, saying, “China congratulates Venezuela for successfully holding its presidential election and congratulates President Maduro on his re-election.”
Lin added that China looks forward to enhancing its strategic partnership with Venezuela, aiming to provide mutual benefits for both nations. “China and Venezuela are steadfast allies, supporting each other through various challenges,” he noted.
The official results of Sunday’s presidential election declared Maduro the winner with 51.2 percent of the vote. However, Venezuela’s opposition coalition has rejected these results, claiming to have secured 70 percent of the vote according to their own figures.
Beijing, a major creditor to Venezuela, maintains strong ties with the nation, which is grappling with severe inflation and international isolation. Maduro’s visit to China in September highlighted the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and discussions on creating a new global order.
The Venezuelan opposition continues to dispute the legitimacy of the election results, calling for fresh elections and casting doubt on the integrity of the voting process.
