Deepening Nigeria-China military cooperation

BY OLALEKAN BABATUNDE

Nigeria and China have shown how to make military cooperation among nations, that is, to protect, develop and promote the defence interests of their countries. According to the strategic partnership between the two countries, they are based on the bedrock of shared values, shared interests, and true friendship. They have demonstrated the width and depth of security and defence ties as a model for African relations.

Senior Colonel Lin Wei, the defence attaché in the Chinese embassy, attested to this alliance during their celebration of the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Friday, July 28, 2023 in Abuja. As many ambassadors and their defence attachés, including Nigerian military officers and foreign officials, graced the occasion, the anniversary provided an opportunity to gather insights and assess the context and dynamics of the cooperation on defence and security issues.

According to Colonel Lin, “military-to-military relations is an important component of the Nigeria-China cooperation”. The PLA, which has been a strong pillar in safeguarding China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests, is an upholder of world peace and human progress and has also been a reliable and sincere partner of Nigeria. Under various frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative and Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and bilateralism since 1971, China has launched programmes that helped train Nigerian military and security personnel on areas of law and order, UN peacekeeping missions, fighting piracy and combating terrorism and supply of state-of-the-art equipment such as ICT, drones, patrol vessels and hardware.

There are also fruitful military exchanges under the principle of mutual assistance. Nigerian officers attended military and security training in China. The joint efforts of the two have strengthened counter-terrorism and anti-piracy campaigns in Nigeria. For instance, Nigeria signed a memorandum of understanding with China in 2020 to fight terrorism. There are provisions of military aid gratis in 2013, 2016, and the acquisition of defence equipment in 2019, among others. That enabled military aid to the joint task force fighting insurgents in the north-east and bandits in the north-west, and also there was support for the security in the Gulf of Guinea.

The two countries share similar demographic and altruistic characteristics and assign the same commitment to world peace. These features and qualities are driving their military cooperation. Both have huge populations and are moved with a passion to enthrone peace around the world. Their spheres of influence in their respective regions are huge. Just like the leader of the SASTIND delegation, Lin Yunteng, remarked during its visit to the ministry of defence in Abuja in March 2023, “both countries are forces to reckon with in their continents in terms of size, skills and manpower”. For instance, Nigeria and China are among the largest contributors to the United Nations Peace Operations around the world. China has dispatched troops to more than 136 countries including in South East Asia and Somalia. Nigeria too has kept peace in many countries including leading the ECOMOG to restore regional peace, more especially in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

For Nigeria to overcome its internal security problems, it needs international support. As a staunch force striving for excellence, the Chinese military has stayed by Nigeria in times of need. It has enhanced its military and security training in Nigeria, and this has helped Nigeria in battling insurgencies. Invariably, the alliance has also assisted in improving the security and safety of Chinese citizens in Nigeria. Some kidnapped Chinese in Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna states were rescued with the collaboration of the two countries. On a regular basis, the Chinese embassy holds meetings with Chinese companies operating in the country.

In 2006, China was one of the allies Nigeria called for help to protect its oil assets from rebel attacks. According to Atiku Abubakar, then-Nigeria’s vice-president, talking to the Financial Times, the US had been slow to help protect the oil-rich Niger Delta from a growing insurgency. He said talks with the US over security plans for the region did not “appear to be moving as fast as the situation is unfolding” and Nigeria was instead sourcing military equipment elsewhere. The report said China was one of its main suppliers of military hardware which included patrol boats. When arms embargo was placed on Nigeria over corruption and human rights issues that led to the seizure of aircraft in South Africa, China came in handy.

In 2021, Cui Jianchun, the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria disclosed that China sent a high-level delegation of criminal investigation experts to Nigeria to meet with Nigerian security agencies to help tackle the security problems. They talked to the people, the government and security agencies to overcome the challenge Nigerians are facing. In 2019, the then-Chinese defence attaché, Senior Colonel Liu Yongxuan, made it known that China has given Nigeria some military aid worth 5.5 billion Naira in the space of two years.

Both countries organised a joint naval exercise in July 2023 when three Chinese warships docked in Lagos for five days as a way to demonstrate partnership of equals in a new era and build stronger ties. The Chinese ambassador hailed it as a milestone in ties. While some critics are saying the visit was part of Beijing’s military intentions in the strategically important Gulf of Guinea, the Nigerian and Chinese officials said it was aimed at enhancing maritime security and maintaining stability in the region, which is plagued by piracy. Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea hijacked a Chinese-owned oil tanker earlier this year. As an independent, sovereign nation, Nigeria is free to host any partner on its shore. In the words of Nigeria’s navy spokesman Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, “it is not a strange thing that the Chinese are doing this port visit”.

To broaden and deepen the strategic partnership, Nigeria and China should seize the countless opportunities offered in the lopsided world order worsened by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, geo-political tension over the Taiwan Straits, the rise of Russian influence in Africa and a new government in Nigeria. As it is now, Russia would not be positioned to fulfil its supply of military assistance to Africa, especially in arms supply, which dated back to the anti-colonial liberation struggles of the 1950s and ‘60s. Nigeria is facing more security threats from the Gulf of Guinea and the Sahel.

The newly constructed Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos (one of the biggest in Africa) by a Chinese engineering company, is opening another wave of investment opportunities between Nigeria and China, and needs to be secure. The Chinese ambassador called the project “a game changer”. Besides trade and investment, all key development infrastructure from railways to energy and free trade zones are in need of security surveillance and military protection. Strengthening military cooperation is in Nigeria’s and China’s best interest to protect lives and property. As the support of other friendly countries is dwindling, the ability of Nigeria to defend itself, and provide security for its citizens, is not merely a Chinese interest but vitally important to the security of China’s investments in Nigeria. Nigeria too should take advantage of the military experience and skills China is willing to share. Simply copy and paste will not work.

The key word in the cooperation agenda should be “security” since both have underscored the success and viability of the accord. As it advances its statecraft, Nigeria should focus on its national security interests that will help to alleviate poverty, advance individual rights and provide stable governance. As the new government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is laying the groundwork to re-energise peace and security initiatives, China should continue to show engagement in areas of importance to Nigeria. To deepen their cooperation, the 96th anniversary of the PLA should be a wake-up call for Nigeria and China to accentuate their people’s concerns about security and prosperity through their military bonds. There is a need for more strategic Nigeria-China military cooperation.

Babatunde is a peacebuilder at Nigeria’s Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and a part-time professor at the Zhejiang Normal University in China. He writes via [email protected]