SCMP China·Monday, January 5, 2026

SCMP China - Monday, January 5, 2026

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

US ouster of Maduro prompts region to reassess China – and Trump’s next move: analysts

The US military operation that captured Venezuela’s president on Saturday is likely to force governments across Latin America to reassess how far China and Russia can protect their partners when Washington decides to act, according to analysts, as the United States signals a more assertive approach to the region. The operation, which removed President Nicolas Maduro and placed Venezuela under a US-managed “transition”, marked the most direct American military action in Latin America in...

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‘Shocked’ China demands US release Maduro after ‘trampling’ Venezuela’s sovereignty

China delivered a strongly worded message to the United States on Monday at an “emergency” meeting of the UN Security Council, calling on Washington to abide by international law, end its illusion that it is the world’s police force and court, and immediately release Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The remarks by Sun Lei, deputy permanent representative of China to the UN, came some 60 hours after the couple was seized in an audacious midnight raid on Saturday at their compound in Caracas and...

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Trump seen as top global risk in 2026 as US slips further behind China: Eurasia Group

The US is in danger of falling increasingly behind China in 2026 as the Asian giant tightens its grip on drones, battery storage, robots and manufacturing, although the No 1 risk to global stability is the US under President Donald Trump, Eurasia Group said on Monday in its closely watched annual forecast of threats, challenges and hotspots. “It’s a time of great geopolitical uncertainty. Not because there’s imminent conflict between the two biggest powers, the United States and China – that...

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What assets does China have in Venezuela, and what could happen with Maduro gone?

Amid prolonged international sanctions imposed on Venezuela, Chinese enterprises stood out as some of the few willing to pour resources into the South American country’s turbulent economy. However, Saturday’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces – just hours after Maduro met with Chinese diplomats to reaffirm their strategic partnership – raises concerns about the future of such investments. In this explainer, we examine the portfolio of Chinese assets in Venezuela and how

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US attack on Venezuela ‘death certificate’ for UN, will trigger global arms race: analyst

The American attack on Venezuela on Saturday could further undermine international institutions and accelerate a global arms race, analysts warned, with one likening Washington’s actions to issuing a “death certificate” for the United Nations. On Saturday, in a surprise precision operation, the US military struck Venezuela and captured its leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, who were later placed in detention in New York. President Donald Trump later said the US would run the South American...

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Chinese President Xi Jinping urges South Korea to ‘make correct strategic choices’

China and South Korea had a shared responsibility for regional stability and should make the “correct strategic choice”, President Xi Jinping told his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung on Monday, as Seoul seeks to turn the page on recent tensions in their relationship. Xi said the international landscape was becoming increasingly turbulent and complex as changes on a scale “unseen in a century are rapidly unfolding across the world”, according to state broadcaster CCTV. As beneficiaries of.

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If the US seizes control of Venezuela’s oil, who wins – and who loses?

After US air strikes hit Caracas on Saturday, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife were detained and transferred to the United States. US President Donald Trump later said his country planned to “run” Venezuela for the time being and take control of its oil reserves. In the wake of the military operation, the Post examines the potential winners and losers in the global oil market. Who are the winners? The US stands to be the biggest beneficiary. One immediate implication could be...

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Venezuela’s Maduro says he is ‘innocent’, declares he is ‘president of my country’

Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro told a New York court on Monday he was innocent and an upright person as he and his wife entered pleas of not guilty on charges of narcoterrorism and possession of illegal weapons after being forcibly taken into US custody following a US strike on his Caracas compound 60 hours earlier. During the brief hearing where the charges were read out and pleas entered, Maduro, 63, took notes, asked the judge to allow him to hold on to them and opted not to ask for

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US ‘decapitation’ strike on Venezuela sparks PLA copycat fears in Taiwan

The US “decapitation-style” operation against Venezuela’s leadership has heightened concerns in Taiwan that Beijing could one day attempt a similar strike against the island, even though Taipei has played down such a possibility. The anxiety has been amplified by the People’s Liberation Army’s two-day drills around Taiwan last week, parts of which simulated joint operations aimed at paralysing political and military command structures – a scenario analysts say echoes elements of leadership...

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US attack on Venezuela tests moral clarity of the post-war world order

More than 36 years after the United States invaded Panama to arrest Manuel Noriega, Washington has once again launched a military operation to seize the sitting president of a sovereign Latin American country. The move echoes the logic of the Monroe Doctrine revived for the Trump era: enforcing US dominance in the western hemisphere through the use of force rather than law. Beyond its immediate impact on Latin America, the operation has sent a wider signal. It underscores a willingness to bypass

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