China consistently opposes unilateral sanctions without a basis in international law or authorization from the UN Security Council, and opposes external forces interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs under any pretext, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday during a daily briefing.

File photo: Chinese foreign ministry

The US State Department announced on Monday that it had officially added the "Cartel de los Soles" to its list of foreign terrorist organizations and imposed sanctions on "members" of the organization, including Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other senior officials.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry issued a statement firmly opposing the US designation of the "Cartel de los Soles" as a terrorist organization and claimed that the designation is an absurd lie aimed at illegally interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs.

"China calls on the US to lift its illegal unilateral sanctions and do more to promote peace, stability, and development in Latin America and the Caribbean," Mao stressed.