President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday commented on the relationship between Nigeria and China saying there is need for it to be strengthened in order to facilitate trade advancement and economic development.
Tinubu in his speech during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, the capital of China said Nigeria-China ties have been elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership adding that his administration is reforming the Nigerian economy.
“We have upgraded the relationship to more than what is just strategic—but a comprehensive developmental partnership.
”This comprehensive strategic partnership should result in robust development, stability, and security in the West African sub-region. This is very crucial.
”We believe that President Xi has demonstrably reformed the Chinese economy, and our reform programme in Nigeria is on a similar course.
“I am a reformer with verifiable antecedents. We have recognized the need to reform our economy, and we are doing so diligently across tax and tariff reviews to various other segments of our nation’s economy.
He went further to highlight the great potentials found in Nigeria as the country with the largest population in Africa.
He also added that the country’s young population can drive economic growth.
The presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, quoted Tinubu as saying; ”This is an important visit for Nigeria and the rest of Africa, as I arrive in my capacity as the Chairman of ECOWAS. I thank you for the high-level of honour accorded to us,”
Relations between China and Nigeria have indeed lasted for over half a century and should be further strengthened to advance our trade and economic development programmes.
”We have upgraded the relationship to more than what is just strategic—but a comprehensive developmental partnership. This comprehensive strategic partnership should result in robust development, stability, and security in the West African sub-region. This is very crucial.” He said.
President Tinubu expressed his believe that President Xi has demonstrably reformed the Chinese economy, and our reform programme in Nigeria is on a similar course.
“I am a reformer with verifiable antecedents. We have recognized the need to reform our economy, and we are doing so diligently across tax and tariff reviews to various other segments of our nation’s economy.”
As a result of the reform programme President Tinubu anticipates that trading and investment partners will have easy access to bring in their investments and seamlessly take their resources out.”
On his part, the Chinese president said relations between China and Nigeria’s was hopefully going to “inject fresh impetus to China-Africa relations in the new era and spearhead common progress among Global South countries”.
”We have found the path of seeking collective strength through unity and win-win cooperation,” the President Xi said.
China and Nigeria, as major developing countries, will require strengthening of strategic coordination which will inject fresh impetus to China-Africa relations in the new era and spearhead common progress among Global South countries.
Ngelale added that both presidents witnessed the signing of various memoranda of understanding (MoUs), which include a cooperation plan between Nigeria and China on jointly promoting the belt and road initiative.
Other MoUs are cooperation in the peaceful application of nuclear energy; strengthening cooperation on human resource development under the global development initiative; media exchange and cooperation; and a MoU between China Media Group and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
However, both leaders also agreed on building a high-level Nigeria-China community with a shared future.
Tinubu departed Abuja last Thursday for an official visit to China and is expected to attend the 2024 forum on China-Africa cooperation (FOCAC) scheduled to hold between September 4 and 6.
