In the current complex and ever-changing international situation, China is ready to work with Nigeria as a good brother who supports eachother, agood partner for mutualbenefit, a good friend whoupholds fairness and justice, and a good partner who upholds peace and stability.
On June 21, 2024, H. E. Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Minister of Foreign Affairsof thePeople’sRepublicof China, held talks with H. E. Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Nigeriaapplaudsandsupportsthe Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. The two ministers co-chaired the first plenary session of the China-Nigeria Intergovernmental Committee, engaging in extensiveand in-depth discussions inthe threemajorareasof politics, economyand trade, and culture.
The talks highlighted the long-standing and solid friendly relations between the two countries, and envisioned the broad prospects for future cooperation. The two sides agreed that over the past 50 years, the two countries have developed a good tradition of mutual trust on political and diplomatic issues, mutual benefit in practical cooperation, mutual support in international affairs, and mutual learning in people-to-people exchanges; deepening political mutual trust, enhancing military cooperation, and jointly safeguarding national peace and stability.
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In the political arena, the government of the Nigerian side acknowledges that there is but one China in the world, the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China; Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. Nigeriaopposesanyseparatistactivitiesof “Taiwan independence” in any form, and any external attempts to interfere in China’s internal affairs, and Nigeria will also support the efforts made by the Chinese government to realise national reunification. Thetwosidesagreedtoworktowardsgood governance and democratic values, peace, security and stability in the Sahel region and recognise Nigeria’s leading role in the fight against terrorism and other related trans-border crimes.
ChinacommendsHisExcellency, PresidentBolaAhmed Tinubu’sleadership role in ECOWAS and his efforts towards bringing about stability in the region.
The two sides agreed to support each others’effortstopromotereunification, ethnic unityandsocialharmony, endeavourto enhancepoliticalmutualtrust, andfurther supporteachotheronmattersrelatedtoits core interests and major concerns.
China expressed its commitment to support Nigeria in upgrading its science andtechnologyinthemilitarysector, equipment, andcapacitybuilding of intelligence to respond more effectively to traditional and non-traditional security challenges at homeandaboard, aswellasattheregional and international levels, and to safeguard peace and stability of the country.
They agreed to build on economic and trade cooperation as the cornerstone, nurturingnewgrowthpointstopromotemutually beneficial cooperation between China and Nigeria. It was also agreed that necessary efforts towards ensuring economic viability of the region would be pursued through infrastructure development and sectoral cooperation. The two countries will continue to strengthen cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, electricity, telecommunications, finance, agriculture, industry, miningandfreetradezones. Both countries will jointly explore cooperation opportunities in fields such as digital economy, green economy and blue economy, and they will foster new growth drivers in cooperation. The Chinese side is willing to expand imports of Nigerian agricultural products. The Nigerian side called for increased partnership in mining and solid mineral development and expressed willingnesstopartnerwithChinesecompanies to establish manufacturing companies in Nigeria for local consumption and exports.
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The two sides stand ready to create an open, transparent, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for the corporate cooperation between the two countries, strengthen the WTO-centered multilateral trading system, oppose trade protectionism, and promote trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation. Both governments committed to intensifying efforts to protect the rights and dignity of each other’s citizens living in its country and create a business-friendly environment for their business.
Using people-to-people exchanges as a bridge to enhance mutual friendship between the two nations and to promote cultural exchange between China and Nigeria, the two sides support more Chinese and Nigerian provinces and municipalities/states and local governments in establishing more friendly relations and encouraging sister cities.
Thetwocountriesarewillingtocontinue to build culture brands such as the HappyChinese New Year, Chinese-Nigeria Culture Week, Chinese-Nigeria Film Festival, and Abuja International Art Fair. The two sides will strengthen mutual visits and exchanges between art groups and personnel, promote human resources training in the fields of culture and tourism, and support cooperationinthefieldsof creativeculture between the two sides. The two sides will alsostrengthencooperationinculturaland tourismfieldssuchaspublishing, filmand television production, cultural heritage, libraries, museums, andtourismpromotion.
Embarking on a new journey and welcoming new development, the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative between China and Nigeria has yielded fruitful results in recent years.
A number of exemplary projects such as Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lagos Light Rail “Blue” and “Red” Lines, and the Lagos-Ibadan Railway have increasingly played significant roles in Nigeria’s economic and social development. The momentum of industrial development and investment in the Ogun-Guangdong Free TradeZoneandtheLekkiFreeTradeZone continues to move forward. In the field of newenergy, thecomplementary advantages of both parties are evident, and green sustainable development offers new ideas and directions for economic cooperation between the two countries, with the benefitsof developmentcontinuously reaching the people of both nations.
Looking ahead, the peoples of China and Nigeria once again stand at a new starting point, as long as the two countries continue to regard each other as important strategic partners and continuously facilitate synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and FOCAC conference outcomes, withtheRenewedHopeAgenda and the Eight Priority Areas proposed by President Tinubu, and jointly promoting high-quality, practical cooperation in an all-around manner.
Under the strong drive of the “four engines” of infrastructure, trade, finance, and new energy, the two countries will leverage their respective advantages and achieve coordinated development across various fields. High-level, all-round cooperation will deepen and solidify bilateral relations. Taking the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing this September as an opportunity, bothcountrieswillexplorebroaderregionalcooperationmechanisms, jointlyaddress globalchallenges, andpromotethebuilding of a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.
• Ms. Yuqing is Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos
