Beijing’s remarks come just days after Washington branded embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a “sick tyrant” when his troops set fire trucks carrying food and medicine attempting to cross into the country. Venezuela’s opposition leader and self-declared president, Juan Guaido, called on nations to consider “all options” to oust President Maduro after at least two people died in last weekend’s violence. Lu Kang, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said in a statement the government was against any “intervention by external forces in the internal affairs of Venezuela”.

He added China “also opposes using the so-called humanitarian aid to serve political ends” which would “stir up instability and even turmoil in Venezuela and its neighbourhood, which is not in the interests of any party”.

Mr Lang said Beijing is calling on the international community “to do things that are truly conducive to the country’s stability, economic development, and the improvement of its people’s livelihood” while being respectful of Venezuela’s sovereignty.

Beijing has lent more than $50 billion to Venezuela through oil-for-loan agreements over the past 10 years, securing energy supplies for its fast-growing economy.

Oil accounts for almost all of Venezuela’s export earnings, with the US having been its biggest customer, followed by India and China.

But over the past decade, oil production has collapsed, plunging the country of about 32 million people into economic turmoil. The US has threatened new sanctions and Brazil has urged allies to join a "liberation effort".

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said: "We again call on the government and opposition in Venezuela to seek a political resolution under the framework of the constitution and law”.

The release of the statement came as American Vice President Mike Pence’s met with Mr Guaido at an emergency summit in neighbouring Colombia.