Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning gestures during a daily briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing, Monday, April 24, 2023. The Chinese government said Monday it respects the sovereignty of former Soviet Union republics after Beijing’s ambassador to France caused an uproar in Europe by saying they aren’t sovereign nations. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
China has warned against foreign interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs following threats by US President Donald Trump to launch military action over alleged persecution of Christians.
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, said China “firmly supports the Nigerian government as it leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions.”
“As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, and threatening other countries with sanctions and force,” she said.
Ning was responding to Trump’s warning that the United States could “go into Nigeria guns-a-blazing” if the Nigerian government failed to stop what he described as the “killing of Christians.”
The Chinese official also addressed reports that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is seeking military assistance from China, Russia and Iran to prepare for possible US attacks.
“China has a clear-cut stance on the US cracking down on so-called ‘drug cartels’ by force in the Caribbean Sea,” Ning said. “China supports the effort of combating cross-border crimes through stronger international cooperation, and opposes using or threatening to use force in international relations.
“We stand against moves that undermine peace and stability in the Latin America and the Caribbean region, and oppose unilateral and excessive ‘enforcement operations’ against other countries’ vessels. We hope the US will engage in normal law enforcement and judicial cooperation through bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks.”
Trump, in a fiery post on Truth Social, had directed the US Department of War to prepare for “possible action” in Nigeria.
“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing’, to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump said.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
The Nigerian government has repeatedly dismissed claims of a Christian genocide.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, President Bola Tinubu said: “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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