The Chinese ambassador in Niamey announced in an interview with the Niger national television that the Chinese government intends to play a "mediation role" in the political crisis in Niger.

In this interview, following a meeting with Niger's Prime Minister Ali Mahamadou Lamine Zein, appointed by the military regime, Ambassador Jiang Feng stated that "the Chinese government intends to act as a facilitator and mediator, with full respect for the countries in the region, to find a political solution to this Nigerien crisis".

He added that "China always adheres to the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries" and encourages African countries "to solve their problems themselves".

China is a major economic partner for Niger, especially in the energy sector.

The two countries are working on building a 2,000-kilometer oil pipeline, the longest in Africa, aimed at exporting crude oil from the Agadem fields (southeast Niger) to the port of Seme in Benin.

The Agadem fields are operated by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), which also established a refinery in Zinder in southern Niger with a production capacity of 20,000 barrels per day, of which the Chinese company holds the majority of the capital.

Other Chinese companies are constructing the Kandadji dam on the Niger River, a major project worth 740 billion West African CFA francs (1.1 billion euros) in the far west of the country, which is expected to generate 629 gigawatt-hours annually to enable Niger to reduce its dependence on energy from neighboring Nigeria.

Following the coup, Nigeria halted electricity supplies to Niger, in implementation of the sanctions decided by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).