China & Three BRICS Allies Back Venezuela Against US Energy Sanctions Banditry
As the Trump regime escalates US sanctions aimed at isolating Venezuela, China has stepped in to help the Latin American nation with infrastructure, investment, and skilled workers. China has also consistently condemned the US sanctions and Trump’s latest aggressive military buildup in the Caribbean Sea as illegitimate foreign interference.
Venezuela joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2018, embedding itself in this key global infrastructure strategy. However going back to 1999, China and Venezuela have signed more than 600 agreements spanning energy, infrastructure, defense, and technology, all arguably reducing US influence in Latin America.
In the face of the escalation of the US trade war, China has massively reduced its energy imports from the USA, cutting oil by approximately 90% since 2023 and in 2025 halting all imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Marking a significant shift in energy trade relations, China has diverted its energy imports to other suppliers, including Venezeula, Iran, Russia and other US competitors such as Australia and Canada, as well as Saudi Arabia.
In a bold move that reshapes Latin America’s energy dynamics and defies US sanctions, China Concord Resources Corp (CCRC) has deployed a $1 billion floating oil facility in Lake Maracaibo, western Venezuela. The project, a 20-year production-sharing agreement with Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA, aims to pump 60,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) by late 2026—up from the current 12,000 bpd.
China is already a significant partner in Venezuela’s oil trade, with around 90% of Venezuela’s oil exports directed to China. This relationship has strengthened since the mid-2000s, particularly as Venezuela has sought to pivot away from Western markets due to politically motivated, US inspired sanctions.
The agreement between Venezuela and the China Concord Resources Corp aims to help revive oil production in Venezuela. The partnership is part of China’s efforts to stabilize and enhance Venezuela’s oil production capabilities amidst ongoing economic difficulties, and in the face of US attempts to undermine China’s own energy security and economic growth.
The Trump regime, on September 2, 2025, carried out an unprovoked military strike on a Venezuelan vessel that killed 11 civilians. This aggression followed the mid-2025 deployment off at least four US warships to the Caribbean Sea, close to Venezuelan waters.
Washington framed the buildup as part of its “counter-narcotics operations”, US a false flag attack targeting Venezuela. The move also coincided with mounting agitation by the Trump regime following Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, which saw the re-election of Nicolás Maduro.
While Trump issues all sorts of racially-inspired rants about “drug trafficing”, the US aggression and sanctions are actually about attempting to unleash “regime change” on the people of Venezuela, which happens to has the largest oil ️reserves in the world. That’s what the United States wants.
Venezuela’s known reserves of oil are estimated at 303 billion barrels (Bbbl) as of 2023. Saudi Arabia ranks second in the world with 267.2 Bbbl, followed by Iran at 208.6 Bbbl, and Canada at 163.6 Bbbl. Together, these four countries account for more than half of global oil reserves.
The United States, by comparison, holds about 55 Bbbl, placing it ninth globally. This means that Venezuela’s reserves alone are more than five times larger than those of the US.
Sources:
Ultimas Noticias, Sep 4, 2025. https://en.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/…/A-floating-oil…/
Alpha Defense, Sep 10, 2025. https://alphadefense.in/…/geopolitical-flashpoint-us…/
Hindustan Times, Video. Sep 21, 2025. https://youtu.be/Rd1QWvdtltk
China Environment News 