China has warned the United States against meddling in Nigeria’s internal affairs, following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threat to take military action over alleged persecution of Christians in the country.
Speaking at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday, November 4, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, said Beijing stands firmly behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and supports Nigeria’s right to chart its own path without external pressure.
“China firmly supports the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as it leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions,” Ning said.
She described Nigeria as one of China’s “comprehensive strategic partners” and warned against any attempt by foreign powers to use religion or human rights as tools of interference.
“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 added.
Ning’s comments come days after Trump accused Nigeria of allowing a “Christian genocide” and announced that the country would again be placed on Washington’s “Country of Particular Concern” list.
The statement has sparked backlash across Africa, with several commentators describing Trump’s remarks as inflammatory and disrespectful to Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Observers say China’s response reflects its growing diplomatic and economic ties with Nigeria and its pushback against what it sees as Western interference in African nations.
