Alleged Christian Genocide: China warns Trump against troop deployment in Nigeria
Ms Ning said, “We hope the U.S. will engage in normal law enforcement and judicial cooperation through bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks.”
Alleged Christian Genocide: China warns Trump against troop deployment in Nigeri
The Peoples Republic of China has said it firmly supports the Nigerian government as it “leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions.”
While addressing journalists on Tuesday in Beijing, spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, Mao 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, and threatening other countries with sanctions and force.”
Ms Ning was answering a question on US President Donald Trump’s threat of carrying out military action in Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians.
She also responded to the report that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was 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,” Ms Ming said, adding that “China supports the effort of combating cross-border crimes through stronger international cooperation, and opposes using or threatening to use force in international relations.”
She reiterated that China opposed 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,” she noted.
Mr Trump threatened to deploy troops or launch air strikes in Nigeria to halt what he described as the target killing of Christians in the country.
Asked on Sunday if he envisioned troops on the ground or air strikes in Nigeria, Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One; that he was considering several military options to protect Christians in Nigeria.
“Could be. I mean, other things. I envisage a lot of things,” Mr Trump said when asked if he was considering ground troops or air strikes. “They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria… They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen.”
The U.S. president made the comments while returning to Washington from his weekend retreat in Florida. His warning followed a renewed threat on Saturday that the United States would take military action if the Nigerian government failed to stop the violence against Christians.
Mr Trump’s remarks followed his administration re-enlisting Nigeria on its Countries of Particular Concern list — a U.S. designation for nations accused of violating religious freedoms. Other countries on the list include China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia and Pakistan.
