Trump’s Venezuela Gambit Set Example for China’s Ambition
- Phoebe Chow
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The U.S. president Donald Trump’s arrest of Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro is a textbook example of potential attack by China to Taiwan’s leadership. Hints have been given by Chinese special forces’ ‘decapitation’ drill. Trump’s move has encouraged and justified China’s plan. Here are the explanations.
China has released footage of Chinese special forces, showing a Venezuela-style tactical sniper operation targeting an individual inside an independent house. In the video, a PLA special forces unit conducted a simulated “decapitation” operation. With drones providing full surveillance and target tracking at night, four ‘violent terrorists’ were eliminated in two minutes.
Officially, the drill was aiming at ‘violent terrorists’. However, such capabilities could have been integrated into a multi-dimensional deterrence strategy targeting ‘Taiwan independence’ forces, ultimately, Taiwan’s leadership. While China continues to conduct military drills around the island, Taiwan seeks to strengthen its independence.
In January 2026, Taiwan’s DDP legislator Lin Yi-jin, who was in the same faction as President Lai Ching-te, proposed a nomenclature reform in the Cross-Strait Relations Act. She suggested renaming the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area to Taiwan–PRC Relations Act. The proposal also seeks to remove the legal language referring to ‘one country, two areas’.
Renaming the act carries great significance as it leads to legalization of the ‘Two-State Theory’, deepening cognitive perceptions of Taiwan over ROC. It also provides a legal basis to challenge the internationally recognized “One China” policy, potentially rendering any PRC invasion illegal and strengthening Taiwan’s leverage on the international stage.
Maduro’s capture by the U.S. signaled a shift toward unilateral action by superpowers, undermining the decline of institutionalism and potentially normalizing irrational and bellicose state behavior. It demonstrated an erosion of sovereignty. Such an act rationalised China’s ambition on the global stage.
Another point to note is that the timing of the U.S. operation may have been intended as a subtle signal to China, which had emphasized a “brotherhood” relationship with Venezuela amidst the duo’s beef. Five hours before Maduro was captured, he met with China’s special envoy in Caracas, and Chinese representatives remained in the country during the air strike.
When the U.S. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid her visit to Taiwan, Beijing responded by sending fighter jets across the middle line as a furious gesture. Such “courtesy” is now likely infeasible. The juxtaposition of these episodes highlights that technological advancements and growing irrationality of world leaders result in an ever more volatile geopolitical environment. Meticulously planned, Venezuela‑style targeted operations are likely to become more frequent.
References:
BBC News. (2026, January 4). Spies, drones and blowtorches: How the US captured Maduro. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdred61epg4o
Tasnim News Agency. (2026, January 3). China’s special envoy meets Maduro. https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2026/01/03/3486641/china-s-special-envoy-meets-maduro
Associated Press. (2026, January 3). A timeline of the US military’s buildup and strikes against Venezuela leading to Maduro’s capture. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d
BBC News. (2022, August 2). Taiwan: Nancy Pelosi meets President Tsai to Beijing’s fury. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62398029
Hong Kong 01. (2026). 解放軍演練「斬首」行動 央視披露畫面 專家：出手定拿下賴清德. 香港01. https://www.hk01.com/article/60313432?utm_source=01articlecopy&utm_medium=referral
The News Lens. (2026). 林宜瑾「兩國條例」撤案或未成案？一個不可能的修法，卻幫賴清德完成三件事. The News Lens. https://www.thenewslens.com/article/263418
YouTube. (2026, January 12). 【独家】解放军首曝“斩首”行动画面 作战细节公开！... [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlYHDegr0J8
Al Jazeera. (2025, December 26). Will China come to Venezuela’s rescue? https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/12/26/will-china-come-to-venezuelas-rescue
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