The US shocked the world by secretly capturing Venezuela's leader, Nicolás Maduro, and bringing him to the US for trial. This surprise raid, revealed on Saturday, quickly drew comparisons in China to a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan. China, with the world's largest army and 1.4 billion people, claims Taiwan as its territory. Taiwan is a self-governing island of 23 million, backed by the US. Both Venezuela and Taiwan rely on help from stronger allies against powerful neighbors. Experts like Ryan Hass, a former US diplomat, say China views Taiwan as an internal issue, not bound by international law. Shen Dingli, a Shanghai scholar, said, "Cross-strait relations are not international relations and are not governed by international law." On Chinese social media, commentators stressed that the US raid on Venezuela and the Taiwan issue are not comparable, calling the US action a violation of international law while China's claim over Taiwan is a domestic matter. Taiwan's military balance is key. Though China has a bigger army, Taiwan depends on US support if attacked. Recently, China's military held big drills around Taiwan to show strength, aiming for a 'strategic decisive victory' by 2027 aided by new technologies. Still, many in Taiwan see the US operation in Venezuela as a warning to China. Taiwan experts noted that weapons supplied by China to Venezuela failed against the US raid. Lin Ying Yu from Tamkang University asked, "Why was the US military able to move in as if no one were there?" This contrasts with previous praise for Chinese weapons. Another expert said the US's ability to target Venezuela’s Chinese-made defenses might make Beijing rethink testing its military against Washington. Meanwhile, global reactions to the US raid vary. The UK’s Emily Thornberry warned that China and Russia might feel bolder due to weak global criticism. China officially condemned the US operation as illegal and violating international norms. Russia joined China in pushing for a UN Security Council meeting on the matter. Taiwan’s government stayed silent, even as its president urges defense of international rules to stop Chinese invasion. Taiwanese blogger 'Froggy' Chiu urged unity in Taiwan, saying, "Taiwan should not become Venezuela," emphasizing the importance of popular support for Taiwan's leader. This US action adds new fuel to the regional tensions between China, Taiwan, and the US.