The Chinese government has pledged its firm support for its Nigerian counterpart following the recent threat of military action in the West African country by United States President Donald Trump.
Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, who spoke at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, affirmed her country’s strategic partnership with Nigeria, cautioning against the threat of military action under the pretext of concerns over religious and human rights.
Ning said China supports Nigeria as it “leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions.”
She said this in response to a question on Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria over the alleged persecution of Christians.
“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 added.
China opposes the proposed US invasion.
Ning also commented on the report that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is seeking military equipment from China, Russia, and Iran to prepare for possible attacks by the US.
“China has a clear-cut stance on the US cracking down on so-called ‘drug cartels’ by force in the Caribbean Sea,” she 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 U.S. will engage in normal law enforcement and judicial cooperation through bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks.”
Trump issues a war threat against Nigeria
On Saturday, November 1, 2025, Trump announced that he had instructed the US Department of War to prepare for “possible action” in Nigeria.
He added that the Nigerian government should act swiftly to end the “killing of Christians” in the country.
This followed his earlier designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and his reference to the nation as a “disgraced country” over the Christian persecution claim.
“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 wrote in a social media post.
“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!”
Nigeria pushes back against Trump’s claim
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has consistently pushed back against the claim of Christian genocide in the country.
It also reiterated this in a riposte to Trump’s redesignation as CPC, as President Bola Tinubu described the action as a mischaracterisation of Nigeria.
“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,” Tinubu stated.
