An annual meeting for one of the largest multilateral financing channels in Latin America and the Caribbean was canceled due to disagreement over who should represent Venezuela at the event, according to China's foreign ministry.

The Inter-American Development Bank, of which China is a non-borrowing member, was set to meet from March 26 to 31 in southwest China's Sichuan province.

China was not responsible for the decision cancel the meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a regular press conference Tuesday. Geng added that the cancellation resulted from disagreement over the appointment of representatives by Venezuelan politician Juan Guaido. Guaido has been engaged in a tussle with Nicolas Maduro for the contested title of Venezuela’s president since January.

Geng said China had "exercised prudence" toward the Venezuela issue, but "a certain country has tried to impose its will on others, manipulate the Venezuelan issue and forcibly have Juan Guaido's representatives participate in the meeting."

"What it has done eventually led to the cancellation of the meeting. This is the last thing any party would like to see," Geng said.

Geng did not specify the country he was referring to.

"Guaido himself is not a president elected through legal procedures and thus lacks legitimacy," he said. "China has difficulties allowing Guaido's representatives to attend the meeting in China."

Geng added that China’s cooperation with IADB and the region it serves would not be affected.

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