Several independent experts from the U.N. issued a statement on Wednesday denouncing the U.S. maritime blockade against Venezuela as "violating the fundamental rules of international law" and constitutes "an act of armed attack".
The experts emphasized that the U.S. has no right to impose unilateral sanctions through an armed blockade, and that, according to international law, such aggression constitutes a crime, granting all countries the power to prosecute the U.S.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday the upcoming ground strikes against drug cartel targets in Latin America.
He made the remarks during Christmas greetings to the military.
Trump said the U.S. was "now going after the land" in its fight against drug cartel targets, noting that drug trafficking by sea was down 96 percent.
The U.S. president also extended special congratulations to the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, currently deployed in the Caribbean.
The U.S. has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean for almost four months, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking -- a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas.
Trump confirms upcoming ground strikes against drug cartel targets in Latin America
All peace-loving nations and peoples should take actions to resolutely contain the revival of Japanese militarism, said a spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense on Thursday.
Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang made the statement in response to a media query about remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and a senior Japanese official regarding possession of nuclear weapons.
According to media reports, Takaichi said Japan will not rule out all options regarding the introduction of nuclear powered submarines. An official from the Prime Minister's Office stated that Japan should possess nuclear weapons.
Additionally, the Japanese Ministry of Defense recently released a report, claiming that China's defense spending is growing rapidly and China is increasing activities near Japan.
The report also states Japan's plans to deploy mobile radar equipment in Okinawa by 2026 to monitor Chinese military activities, including those of Chinese aircraft carriers. "China's defense expenditure is reasonable, moderate, and remains below the global average as a share of GDP. The operations of the Chinese troops in relevant waters are fully in compliance with international law and international practice, and brook no interference or provocation. We urge Japan to cease its false narratives and halt targeted deployments against China. We will take resolute countermeasures against any harassment or provocations," the spokesman said.
"In recent years, Japan has relentlessly pursued remilitarization and accelerated its military buildup, with an increasingly visible and dangerous tendency towards a militarist revival. To cover up its underlying ambitions, Japan has repeatedly used China as a pretext. Not long ago, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made erroneous remarks concerning the Taiwan question. Now, right-wing forces in Japan have thrown away their hypocritical mask and are openly advocating for nuclear armament. These actions constitute a direct defiance of international norms, an attempt to test the bottom line of international justice, and a blatant challenge to the post-WWII international order and the global non-proliferation regime. They pose a severe threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond. What Japan is doing runs directly counter to its own professed commitment to peaceful development. We call upon all peace-loving nations and peoples to take actions to resolutely contain the revival of militarism by Japan's right-wing forces, and prevent the world from sliding into turmoil or tragedies of the past," Zhang said.
China calls for joint efforts to contain revival of Japanese militarism
