Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Beijing, Mao Ning, spokesperson of China’s foreign ministry, 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”.

Ning was answering a question on US President Donald Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians.

She also responded to 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,” Ming 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.”

On Saturday, Trump asked the US department of war to prepare for “possible action” in Nigeria.

Trump 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,” the US leader 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 refuted claims of a Christian genocide in the country.

In a riposte to Trump’s redesignation, 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.”