The reported arrival of Chinese military personnel in Venezuela last weekend is undoubtedly a watershed moment in world politics.
In an extremely rare Chinese move, a 120-strong group of Chinese military personnel arrived on the Margarita Island in the Caribbean Sea off the Venezuelan mainland on March 28 “to deliver humanitarian aid and military supplies to the government forces”, but further details of the Chinese PLA mission have not been disclosed.
Even though vital Chinese interests were at stake in Afghanistan and Syria, China refrained from announcing a military deployment. Unlike Russia, China does not have a history of force projection around the world.
After delivering the humanitarian supplies, the Chinese PLA troops were transferred to a Venezuelan military facility, according to local reports. The Chinese PLA Navy’s hospital ship The Peace Ark had docked at the port in la Guaira, Venezuela, on September 22, 2018.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Venezuela imported $349 million worth of arms from China between 2010 and 2014 alone. In 2017 armoured tanks, ammunition, uniforms and infantry equipment, as well as replacement and service parts for Russian-made pieces, were delivered.
A week ago, some 100 Russian military personnel were deployed to Venezuela to instal a military helicopter training facility.
In a recent report in the LA Times, it was noted that “over the decade ending in 2016, China loaned Venezuela approximately $62 billion, much of which Caracas could repay with oil. Moscow in the last several years gave Venezuela $17 billion in loans and investment, and in December the two governments signed a new deal in which Russia will invest $6 billion in Venezuela’s oil and gold sectors”.
China and Russia are Venezuela’s two main creditors in support of the Maduro government and China’s move put an end to speculation that it was...
Even though vital Chinese interests were at stake in Afghanistan and Syria, China refrained from announcing a military deployment. Unlike Russia, China does not have a history of force projection around the world.
After delivering the humanitarian supplies, the Chinese PLA troops were transferred to a Venezuelan military facility, according to local reports. The Chinese PLA Navy’s hospital ship The Peace Ark had docked at the port in la Guaira, Venezuela, on September 22, 2018.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Venezuela imported $349 million worth of arms from China between 2010 and 2014 alone. In 2017 armoured tanks, ammunition, uniforms and infantry equipment, as well as replacement and service parts for Russian-made pieces, were delivered.
A week ago, some 100 Russian military personnel were deployed to Venezuela to instal a military helicopter training facility.
In a recent report in the LA Times, it was noted that “over the decade ending in 2016, China loaned Venezuela approximately $62 billion, much of which Caracas could repay with oil. Moscow in the last several years gave Venezuela $17 billion in loans and investment, and in December the two governments signed a new deal in which Russia will invest $6 billion in Venezuela’s oil and gold sectors”.
China and Russia are Venezuela’s two main creditors in support of the Maduro government and China’s move put an end to speculation that it was...
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1 comment:
120 Chinese soldiers only? Let's hope they keep them somewhere safe. The island has been taken over by the criminal element and they are not nice... and they are in the high four figures heavily armed.
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