Chinese energy companies with operations in Venezuela have asked the government for guidance in how to protect their investments in the South American country now that the United States has effectively taken control of its oil industry. The information comes from Bloomberg, which cited unnamed sources as saying CNPC had been the leader of the group to broach the subject with Beijing, which earlier this week slammed the U.S. federal government for bullying Venezuela. “The United States' brazen use of force against Venezuela and its demand…