China has declared its firm support for the Nigerian government amid escalating tensions following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of military action over the alleged persecution of Christians.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing “firmly supports the Nigerian government as it leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions.”
Responding to questions about Trump’s comments, Ning said, “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 or to threaten them with sanctions or force.”
Ning’s statement came in response to a question about U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threat of military action in Nigeria over the alleged persecution of Christians.
Recall that last Saturday, Trump directed the U.S. Department of Defense to “prepare for possible action” in Nigeria, escalating tensions between Washington and Abuja.
The US President warned the Nigerian government to act fast to end the “killing of Christians” in the country. He had also called Nigeria a “disgraced country”.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. 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 warned.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action,” Trump said in the statement.
The US leader added, “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 since denied the allegations in a strongly worded statement.
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,” Tinbu said in the statement.
China’s backing is the first significant international support for Nigeria following President Trump’s military attack threat. Although the Presidency has assured Nigerians that President Tinubu and Trump would meet in the coming days, they did not specify the particular date the meeting would take place.
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