The Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that China "firmly opposes" the United States' attempt to restrict China-Venezuela cooperation by using so-called general licenses involving Venezuela's mining sectors.

Recently, the US Department of the Treasury issued general licenses authorizing the signing of investment and operating contracts in Venezuela's mining sector, yet this license excludes countries such as China and Russia.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, "China's legitimate rights and interests in Venezuela must be protected."

"What the US should do is immediately lift its illegal unilateral sanctions against Venezuela, rather than manipulating so-called general licenses to whitewash its actions that damage the legitimate rights and interests of various parties concerned, including Venezuela," Mao told reporters at a daily news conference in Beijing.