•Yu Dunhai and Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu
The federal government has said it will collaborate with People’s Republic of China in the quest to boost industrialisation of the country to achieve economic diversification.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed this in her office at the Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja, when the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, paid her a courtesy visit.
According to a statement issued today by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, and made available to The Frontier, the minister stated that Nigeria has had a robust relationship with China spanning over five decades, and noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prioritises the diversification and strengthening of the nation’s economy.
Amb. Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted the president’s commitment to strategic partnership with China mentioning establishment of electric vehicle plants, digital communication, renewable energy, all aspects of digital technology, and agriculture as major areas Nigeria needs Chinese support.
She acknowledged China’s contribution to the development of road and rail infrastructure in Nigeria.
The minister also stated that the country was taking tangible steps to improve its power sector and also modernise the ports, emphasising that all these will enable investments.
The minister further expressed Nigeria’s resolve to expand cultural relations with China even as she pointed out that many Nigerian youth were inclined to learn Chinese Language.
“It’s quite interesting that a large population of Nigerian youth is inching towards Chinese Language. A lot of Nigerian Universities are desirous to offer Chinese Language. Chinese has become the language of trade in the world.
“Nigeria-China will continue to relate not just bilaterally but multilaterally.
“We expect that we will continue to get the support of China but we will always reciprocate that multilaterally.
“In line with President Tinubu’s plan to industrialise Nigeria, we expect Chinese cooperation in establishing assembly plants of electric vehicles; digital communication, renewable energy, all aspects of digital technology, agriculture because of food insecurity as the government is interested in seeing that food gets to the poorest of the poor.
“Government is not just talking about food but has established a separate Ministry of Livestock,” the minister stated.
Amb. Odumegwu-Ojukwu, therefore, appealed to China to remove trade tariffs for Nigeria as it had done for 33 other African countries.
Importantly, the minister said that the Renewed Hope Agenda is focusing on people-to-people contacts, country-to-country relations.
Speaking, the Chinese Ambassador declared that Nigeria-China relations is a relationship that his country hopes to continue to grow and expand.
He described Nigeria as a great country that had remained a strategic partner to China.
Amb. Dunhai said that President Tinubu’s first official visit to China and participation in the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), took the relationship between both countries to greater heights.
The envoy said that the two countries were cooperating in several areas including road development, railway modernisation, power, industrial parks, Lekki Sea Port and a lot more.
He informed that the volume of trade between Nigeria-China surpassed $21 billion last year, while Nigeria’s export to China exceeded 25%.
The envoy said that manufacturing was central to industrialisation, adding that the recently renewed $2 billion currency swap in the area of financial cooperation, would strengthen cooperation and promote bilateral trade and investment between both countries.
Amb. Dunhai was upbeat that these progressive efforts will eventually benefit the ordinary people.
He said: “We have a comprehensive strategic partnership with Nigeria. China would want Nigeria to play a big role in the international scene. We want Nigeria to become a member of G-20. These will all provide opportunity for China and Nigeria to further work together closely.
“For China, we have been very consistent. We give grant to any African countries; we don’t give any conditions.”
He acknowledged that it was important that the two countries met to review how far they have performed in their bilateral cooperation.
