US-Venezuela conflict and China G2 strategy: Why Beijing is rejecting the G2 label

They shook hands, but the fists remain clenched. While talk of a Group of Two (G2) co-governance surfaced after the October 2025 summit, the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela has shattered any illusions of a shared global leadership. According to observers cited by the SCMP, Beijing is now more likely to reject any G2 framework in favor of presenting itself as a non-interventionist alternative to Washington.

The US-Venezuela conflict and China G2 strategy fallout

When President Donald Trump alluded to a G2 arrangement, it was seen as an acceptance of China as a peer power. However, the military escalation in Venezuela has shifted the strategic calculus. Analysts suggest that Beijing will seize on the growing global distrust of Washington to pitch itself to the Global South as a more stable and predictable power.

Beijing's Pivot to the Global South

For China, the operation in Venezuela serves as proof that Washington's default is unilateralism. Sun Chenghao from Tsinghua University noted that the G2 concept has transformed into a "political metaphor" rather than a practical co-governance tool. This shift allows Beijing to distance itself from U.S. actions while strengthening ties with nations weary of Western intervention.