Beijing: China has once again criticized the United States for its involvement in the internal affairs of foreign countries and said that it is part of the US rule book.
During a regular press conference on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin was asked to comment on the recent interview of the former National Security Advisor of the White House, John Bolton, in which he admitted to planning coups in foreign countries.
Wang Wenbin said that this was no surprise, as this had always been part of the US rule book.
“The admission simply shows that interfering in other countries’ internal affairs and overthrowing their governments have become a standard practice of the US government,” the spokesperson said.
Former US NSA John Bolton admits to planning foreign coups
In an interview with an American news channel, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a close aide of Donald Trump, John Bolton, said that Trump was not competent enough to pull off a “carefully planned coup d’etat,” later adding, “as somebody who has helped plan coups d’etat – not here but you know (in) other places – it takes a lot of work. And that’s not what he (Trump) did.”
When asked what he was referring to, Bolton said that he was “not going to get into the specifics” before mentioning Venezuela.
Jake Tapper: "One doesn’t have to be brilliant to attempt a coup."
John Bolton: "I disagree with that. As somebody who has helped plan coup d’etat, not here, but other places, it takes a lot of work." pic.twitter.com/REyqh3KtHi
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 12, 2022
“It turned out not to be successful. Not that we had all that much to do with it, but I saw what it took for an opposition to try and overturn an illegally elected president, and they failed,” he said.
In 2019, Bolton, as a national security adviser, publicly supported Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido’s call for the military to back his effort to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro, arguing that Maduro’s re-election was illegitimate. Ultimately Maduro remained in power.
“I feel like there’s other stuff you’re not telling me (beyond Venezuela),” the anchor said, prompting a reply from John Bolton, “I’m sure there is.”
Jake Tapper follows up on John Bolton's past coup planning.
Bolton: "I’m not going to get into the specifics, but–"
Tapper: "Successful coups?"
Bolton brings up the failed Venezuelan coup, prompting Tapper to add: "I feel like there’s other stuff you’re not telling me." pic.twitter.com/bJAa07h8Ow
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 12, 2022
Read: Former US NSA John Bolton admits to planning foreign coups
