In the early hours of January 3, U.S. forces carried out a long-range operation and captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro within just a few hours. The operation came shortly after a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) special envoy met with Maduro to offer political backing, leaving Beijing embarrassed and underscoring the global reach of U.S. military power. Chinese officials subsequently condemned the action as a violation of international law and national sovereignty.
Zhang Weiwei, director of the China Institute at Fudan University and a prominent CCP adviser, has sought to downplay the significance of the operation by reframing it as a sign of American weakness.
“Many forces constrain the United States,” Zhang said. “Even this time, when Trump had Maduro arrested, it actually shows America’s weakness. He does not dare to fight a ground war and can only seize a single president like this—picking on a soft target.”
Zhang further characterized the operation as a “major U.S. strategic miscalculation,” claiming it revealed new “opportunities” for the Chinese Communist Party.
Many online commentators ridiculed Zhang’s argument.
Source: Epoch Times, January 15, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/1/15/n14676265.htm