BY
Charles Nnaebuka Ph.D

In today’s unpredictable world of global politics, few leaders are as unpredictable as United States President, Donald J. Trump. He is always on the move, stirring up trouble wherever he goes and leaving behind broken rules and confusion. Like a bull in a China Shop, Trump rushes into sensitive international issues with reckless energy, breaking alliances, twisting facts and shaping reality to suit himself. Across issues, be it trade, security or democracy, Trump’s language is elastic. One day he is a nationalist champion, the next, a reluctant globalist. One moment, he warns against foreign entanglements, the next, he threatens invasion. He flirts with isolationism but cannot resist the allure of domination.

Once again, Trump has forced his way into global debate, this time with reckless talk about invading Nigeria to “stop the killing of Christians.” His statement, spread widely by media outlets, shows a dangerous mix of false information, pride and political opportunism. It is an old trick in a new form, using the language of helping others to hide the desire for power and control. Trump’s garrulousness is not just talk but confusion disguised as conviction. Whether he is threatening Iran, insulting NATO allies or now making bold claims about Nigeria, he rushes into sensitive situations and leaves disorder behind. Every reckless statement spreads fear and twists the truth. Unfortunately for fragile regions like West Africa, such words only end up inflaming religious tensions, encourage extremists and weaken ongoing peace efforts.

There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria’s internal challenges are complex, far too intricate for Trump’s simplistic worldview. The country faces overlapping crises including and not limited to insecurity in parts of the country, climate-driven conflicts between farmers and herders, banditry and terrorism amid related security challenges. When critically analysed, these are not signs of systemic religious extermination but the fallout of socio-economic inequalities and governance inefficiencies spanning decades. To then flatten these realities into a false narrative of “genocide against Christians” is not only wrong but dangerous. The wrong narrative fuels division, distorts truth and has now laid the groundwork for foreign interference. Trump’s rhetoric, of “fighting genocide in Nigeria” in this instance follows a familiar pattern of weaponisation of misinformation to stir fear and mobilise support among religious and conservative blocs. It should be noted however that this is not a moral mission but a political theatre to project a saviour complex as usual. But Nigeria will not be the prop in another man’s performance.

Interestingly, it is bitterly ironic that Trump would speak of “restoring order” abroad while his own country is mired in dysfunction. As of November 2025, the United States is in the midst of its longest government shutdown in history, which began on October 1st, 2025, after Congress failed to approve funding. As it stands, over 670,000 federal employees have been furloughed while 730,000 others work without pay. Also, the Congressional Budget Office estimates losses between US $7 billion and US $14 billion to the American economy. Consequently, critical services are paralyzed, air-traffic controllers and TSA agents are unpaid, airports are facing staff shortages and millions relying on food assistance face uncertainty. So here is a US government that cannot fund its own operations, pay its workers or maintain basic functionality thus, has no moral or political standing to lecture sovereign nations about order, governance or justice. Trump’s threat about fixing Nigeria rings hollow when the United States itself is in administrative paralysis.

But let it be known that Nigeria is not a frontier waiting for a Western saviour. It is a sovereign republic of over 200 million people that is diverse, resilient and capable of addressing its own internal issues. The country’s complexities demand engagement, not intrusion, partnership, not paternalism. It is also on this note that China, one of Nigeria’s strategic partners has called on the United States to “mind its own business”, a sentiment likely to be echoed by other nations weary of America’s interventionist impulses. The world is no longer willing to accept the myth of moral superiority from a power that struggles to govern itself. Africa has long suffered from the conceit of outsiders who claim to understand her better than she understands herself. From “civilizing missions” to “humanitarian interventions,” the pattern repeats in the same manner of moral pretext concealing power politics. Trump’s threats fall squarely in that lineage.

Nigeria and indeed all of Africa must remain vigilant. The continent cannot afford a return to the era when Western powers dictated the terms of sovereignty. Global partners must speak with one voice that no nation, however powerful, has the right to invade another on the basis of manipulated narratives. The message is clear: Nigeria will not be invaded under the banner of falsehood. We will not be rescued by those who cannot rescue themselves.

The bull may rampage, but when the dust settles, history will remember not his noise, but the nations that stood firm in the face of it.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

On Oct. 30, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea. The two heads of state held in-depth discussions on strategic and long-term issues concerning China-U.S. relations, as well as major topics of shared interest. 

Both sides agreed to maintain interactions on a regular basis, enhance cooperation in economic, trade, energy and other fields and encourage more people-to-people exchanges. 

The international community has followed this meeting closely, viewing it as a positive signal to the world. It is believed that this meeting has provided new guidance and fresh impetus for the stable development of China-U.S. relations, and injected valuable certainty into a world undergoing turbulence and transformation.

Head-of-state diplomacy is the compass and anchor of China-U.S. relations, playing an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance for the relationship. Xi and Trump have maintained long-term interactions and mutual respect, which has become the most valuable strategic asset in China-U.S. relations.

Since the beginning of this year, the two presidents have maintained close engagement through three direct phone calls. When challenges arise in China-U.S. relations, such high-level communication enables both nations to transcend immediate differences, prevent misunderstandings and steady the bilateral relationship – safeguarding the relationship’s overall stability and positive trajectory.

This year witnessed complex developments in bilateral economic ties. Guided by the important consensus reached between the two heads of state, the two sides’ economic and trade teams conducted five rounds of consultations, successfully establishing frameworks for issue resolution. 

During this latest meeting, the two presidents held substantive discussions on trade relations and committed to enhanced cooperation. The relevant understandings and arrangements reached by the two teams during the Kuala Lumpur consultations have served as a “stabilizer” for both the Chinese and U.S. economies, as well as the world economy. 

This progress demonstrates that as long as both sides fully and faithfully implement the important consensus reached by the two presidents, and continue discussions in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, they can continuously shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation, and ensure that economic and trade ties remain the ballast and engine of China-U.S. relations.

China and the United States should be partners and friends. That is what history has taught us and what reality needs. Given different national conditions, it is normal for the two countries to have frictions. What matters most is how to view and handle them properly. Both sides should focus on the bigger picture and the long-term benefits of cooperation.

At present, there is a good momentum in China’s economic development. In the first three quarters of this year, the country’s GDP grew by 5.2 percent, demonstrating strong resilience and vitality. For more than seven decades, China has been working from generation to generation on the same blueprint to make it a reality. It has no intention to challenge or supplant anyone. Its focus has always been on managing its own affairs well, improving itself, and sharing development opportunities with all countries across the world. And that is an important secret to China’s success, which is in no way at odds with the United States’ aspiration to “make America great again.”

At its fourth plenary session, the 20th CPC Central Committee deliberated over and adopted the recommendations for the economic and social development plan over the next five years, which has drawn broad international attention and positive responses. China will further deepen reform across the board, expand opening up, and promote higher-quality economic growth while achieving an appropriate increase in economic output. This will also expand the space for cooperation between China and the United States.

As long as the two sides uphold mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, China and the United States can achieve mutual success and shared prosperity.

The current international landscape is marked by transformation and turbulence. The world once again stands at a crossroads. As two major countries with global influence, China and the United States shoulder special responsibilities. Their positive interactions in regional and global affairs are key to addressing the many global challenges that continue to emerge. 

There is good potential for the two countries to work together on combating illegal immigration and telecom fraud, anti-money laundering, artificial intelligence, and responding to infectious diseases. Through cooperation under both bilateral and multilateral frameworks, China and the United States can accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of the two countries and the whole world, and demonstrate the shared sense of responsibility as major countries.

China will host APEC 2026, and the U.S. the G20 summit next year. The two sides can support each other in making both summits productive to promote world economic growth and improve global economic governance.

A stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship serves the long-term interests of both countries and meets the common expectations of the international community. The Busan meeting between the two heads of state once again proved that the common interests between China and the United States far outweigh their differences, and that cooperation is the only right choice for both sides. 

The lessons of history, the needs of reality, and the call of the future all point to the same conclusion that the planet is broad enough to accommodate both China and the United States. The two countries can be partners and friends. 

China hopes that both sides will work together to earnestly implement the consensus reached at the Busan meeting, enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and build a more solid foundation for China-U.S. relations, so as to bring greater benefits to both peoples and contribute more to the world.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By He Yin, People’s Daily

The fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) called for achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology and steering the development of new quality productive forces. 

This major decision reflects a profound understanding of the essence and laws of innovation and demonstrates the CPC’s strategic resolve to shape new advantages in development through science and technology. 

It will not only inject strong momentum into advancing Chinese modernization, but also bring new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the rest of the world.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China has made solid strides in innovation-led development. In 2024, the country’s total research and investment (R&D) investment exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan ($506.28 billion), up 48 percent from 2020. China’s overall national innovation capacity rose from 14th to 10th place in the global ranking. Emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, new energy, and biotechnology are rising rapidly, forming new drivers of economic growth. 

From Shenzhou spacecraft soaring into space and the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope exploring the universe, to the domestically produced C919 passenger jet and China’s first large cruise ship entering commercial operation, these milestones testify to the country’s steady march toward self-reliance and strength in science and technology. 

As Portuguese Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion Manuel Castro Almeida observed, China’s remarkable achievements in innovation have made it a vital force in driving global scientific and technological progress.

A nation thrives when its science and technology thrive, and a robust science and technology sector is the cornerstone of a strong nation. Chinese modernization must be supported by the modernization of the country’s science and technology. 

One of the main goals of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development is to significantly enhance self-reliance and strength in science and technology, achieve rapid breakthroughs in key and core technologies in crucial areas, and deepen the integration of scientific and industrial innovation. Strengthening development advantages through innovation is a strategic choice China has made with an eye on the big picture and the future.

In the midst of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, whoever takes the lead in innovation will seize the initiative in development. Over the next five years, China will advance its initiatives to build strength in education, science and technology, and talent in a coordinated way, enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system, boost its capacity for independent innovation, and capture the commanding heights of technological advancement to continuously foster new quality productive forces. 

The systematic planning and clear roadmap for innovation have strengthened global confidence in China’s development prospects. As UN Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder noted, China’s innovation is not just about breakthroughs in specific areas; it represents a comprehensive momentum that has entered an “innovation boom period,” reshaping the global scientific and technological landscape.

Sci-tech innovation is a vital force for humanity to address risks and challenges and promote peace and development. China has always worked to ensure that scientific and technological progress benefits all humankind, contributing wisdom and strength to addressing global challenges. The country has established science and technology cooperation relations with over 160 countries and regions, signed 119 intergovernmental science and technology cooperation agreements, proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative, issued the International Science and Technology Cooperation Initiative, and launched the Initiative on International Cooperation in Open Science. China’s growing role in global science and technology governance is widely recognized.

Chinese enterprises are also advancing open and shared innovation. AI company DeepSeek is committed to open-source approaches, while leading electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has made its core technologies available for industry-wide sharing. In pursuing technological breakthroughs, Chinese enterprises are simultaneously promoting the mutual benefit and sharing of innovative achievements, empowering inclusive development worldwide. As China accelerates its pace of innovation, it is also fostering a globally competitive, open environment for scientific and technological innovation, promoting international cooperation at a higher level, and ensuring that the fruits of innovation benefit more countries and peoples.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will continue to illuminate its path of development with the light of innovation, pursue international cooperation in science and technology with greater openness, and contribute even more to human progress.