CHINA WARNS REPEATING HISTORICAL MISTAKES

CHINA warns of repeating history's mistakes with Venezuela.

The Chinese government's top diplomat issued a stern warning on Friday against interfering in Venezuela or imposing sanctions on the South American nation, saying history offered a clear lesson about not ''following the same old disastrous road''.

China has repeatedly called for outsiders not to interfere in Venezuela's internal affairs and has stuck by the embattled president Nicolas Maduro.

Most western nations have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate head of state.

The United States has pledged to ''expand the net'' of responding to questions on whether China still recognised Maduro or had contacts with the opposition, said the country should be decided by their own people.

External interference and sanctions will only exacerbate the tension situation, and allow the law of the jungle to once again run amok,'' Wang said at his annual news conference on the sidelines of China's parliament meeting.

''There's already enough of such lessons from history, and the same old disastrous road should not be followed.'' [Agencies]