Original Author: Zhao Hongtu
Zhao Hongtu, a researcher at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, which is a bureau of the Ministry of State Security, argues that oil was “a medium” of U.S. military action in Venezuela rather than its ultimate objective, serving as an instrument through which President Trump could establish control over Venezuela. Zhao reasons that the U.S. operation sought to achieve both domestic and international aims. He anticipates the United States will be able to import more Venezuelan oil in the short-term, but argues that over the longer term, economic, political and historical factors will constrain the country’s capacity for oil production.
This is one of six pieces published by the journal of Contemporary International Relations following an academic seminar titled “U.S. Military Action Against Venezuela and Its Impacts.” The other five pieces are also available on the Interpret: China platform. The journal is published by the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), a Chinese think tank affiliated with the Ministry of State Security.