China sending emergency aid to Venezuela

UN Security Council discusses 'very real humanitarian problem', 7m in dire need

Over a month after two competing resolutions on Venezuela failed to pass, the UN Security Council met on Wednesday to discuss the "very real humanitarian problem" facing the country, where close to 7 million people are in dire need of aid, and some 5,000 people continue to flee across borders every day, according to Mark Lowcock, the UN's humanitarian chief.

"We are working to expand our assistance, in line with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality & independence," UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres tweeted.

Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the UN, said that in order to help the people of Venezuela overcome temporary difficulties, China has decided to provide emergency aid of daily use goods.

The relevant supplies are on their way to Venezuela in batches. According to Ma, on March 29, the first batch of medicines and medical supplies was delivered to the Venezuelan government.

Ma said China's assistance to Venezuela is in keeping with its long-held principles concerning aid. It is intended to help the Venezuelan people overcome the negative impact caused by external interference and sanctions, "with no political conditions attached", he said.

China will continue its cooperation with Venezuela based on the principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefits and common development for the well-being of the two peoples, Ma said.

Tensions in the country escalated in January when Juan Guaido, head of the country's National Assembly, challenged the legitimacy of the sitting president, Nicolas Maduro, in power since 2013 and sworn in again for a second term this past January following a disputed election, according to a UN website.

This was the fourth meeting of the Council on Venezuela since the first one took place on Jan 26.

With both Russian and United States draft resolutions failing to pass in February, US Vice-President Mike Pence attended Wednesday's meeting and delivered a briefing.

Pence called on the UN to revoke the credentials of Maduro and recognize his challenger as the legitimate leader of the country. Pence then turned to Venezuelan Ambassador Samuel Moncada Acosta and told him: "You shouldn't be here. You should return to Venezuela and tell Nicolas Maduro that his time is up."

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the US was looking to install its own "pawn", describing the US effort as a "lawless, thuggish violation of international law", according to the UN's website.

The Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, responded by stressing that Venezuela has suffered under the weight of international sanctions and the freezing of assets. He said that the emphasis placed by the US on humanitarian needs in Venezuela was merely a "pretext for foreign military intervention" and "calculated cruelty".

Ma reiterated that China opposed external forces interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs, opposed military intervention in Venezuela and opposed using the so called humanitarian issue to achieve political aims.

"History has proven repeatedly that unilateral sanctions will only further complicate the situation and affect people's everyday lives. It won't help resolve problems, not to mention bringing peace to the country," he said.

"On the one hand, we are here to have talks to care for the well-being of the Venezuelans. And on the other hand, we are seeing increasingly tighter sanctions on the country — they don't seem to reconcile well," said Ma, adding, "The motives are dubious."

Ma said "the US representative leveled unfounded accusations against China's position on the Venezuelan issue at the Security Council, which China categorically rejects".

"It is common knowledge that China has all along maintained friendly and cooperative relationships with other countries around the world — Venezuela included — on the basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence," he said.

China supports the people of various countries independently choosing a development path that caters to their national conditions. "We never interfere in other countries' internal affairs, nor do we impose on other countries," he said.

Ma called on member states of the council to "faithfully abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and universally recognize norms of international relations, respect the choices of other countries' peoples and do more practical and constructive things for the people of Venezuela, rather than the opposite.

"The peace and stability of Venezuela is in the fundamental interests of the country and its people. It also serves the common interests of all parties," said Ma.

Under the promise of respecting the sovereignty of Venezuela, China will provide constructive assistance to the country and promote a smooth settlement to the relevant issues as soon as possible.

"We hope that relevant countries will promptly lift unilateral sanctions on Venezuela, create normal conditions for its economic and social development and lend help and support to the country in accordance with the basic principles of UN humanitarian assistance," he said.

"We hope that the international community will do things that are truly conducive to stability, economic development and improved livelihoods in Venezuela," he said.