GreenergyDaily

Jan. 8, 2026

Leading Chinese oil companies with interests in Venezuela have asked Beijing for guidance on how to protect their investments, Bloomberg reported, as Washington cranks up pressure on the Latin American country to increase its economic ties with the US.

State-owned firms led by China National Petroleum Corp. raised concerns this week with government agencies and sought advice from officials, in an effort to align their responses with Beijing's diplomatic strategy and to salvage existing claims to some of the world's largest oil reserves, according to people familiar with the situation.

The companies, closely monitoring developments even before the US seized President Nicolas Maduro at the weekend, are also conducting their own assessments of the situation on the ground, the people said. Top Beijing officials are separately reviewing events and trying to better understand corporate exposure, while planning for scenarios including a worst case where China's investments would go to zero, they added.

While it is typical for government-backed firms to maintain close ties with officials in Beijing, the emergency consultations underscore the stakes for Chinese majors, caught off-guard by Washington's raid and by the rapid escalation of efforts to establish a US sphere of influence in the Americas. Beyond the immediate impact of US actions, all are concerned about long-term prospects, the people said.