U.S. broke the law with oil tanker seizure, China says

China accused the U.S. of violating international law by grabbing a merchant vessel that last docked in Venezuela and was accused of dodging U.S. sanctions while flying a Russian flag.

Beijing addressed Wednesday’s seizure of the Bella 1 in the Atlantic as Russia pressed the U.S. to ensure “dignified and human treatment” of the crew.

“By arbitrarily seizing other countries’ vessels in the high seas, the U.S. has seriously violated international law,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Thursday. “China stands against unilateral illicit sanctions that lack basis in international law or authorization of the U.N. Security Council, and against any move that violates the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and infringes upon other countries’ sovereignty and security.”

The Trump administration says the oil tanker, formerly the Bella 1 and now named Marinera, defied a U.S. maritime blockade of sanctioned tankers. 

Also Wednesday, U.S. authorities seized a second ship in the Caribbean, ratcheting up control of Venezuelan oil supplies and targeting ghost ships that did not transmit their locations.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Bella crewmen could face prosecution in the U.S. for allegedly evading sanctions.

Moscow says the crew did nothing wrong and that it submitted formal complaints to the U.S. side.

“We call on Washington to resume compliance with the fundamental norms and principles of international maritime navigation and immediately cease its illegal actions against the Marinera and other vessels engaged in law-abiding activities on the high seas,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said, as quoted by the TASS state news agency.

President Trump plans to control Venezuelan oil supplies after he ordered a raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and fly him to New York to face narco-terrorism charges.

The U.S. administration says it’s working with the interim Venezuelan government to usher in positive changes — while using oil supplies as leverage.

“We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime, you’re allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America’s national interest,” Vice President J.D. Vance said on Fox News Channel’s “Jesse Watters Primetime.” “That’s how we exert incredible pressure on that country without wasting a single American life.”