By Godfrey Nnamdi
Nigeria and China have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening diplomatic and economic relations, with a focus on expanding cooperation in trade, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges.
The development followed a courtesy visit by the Chinese Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Zhou Hongyou, to the spokesperson of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, in Abuja.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Ebienfa said both sides underscored the strategic importance of the bilateral relationship and pledged to advance mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, infrastructure development, and strategic partnerships.
The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen institutional collaboration, enhance capacity building, and create more opportunities for reciprocal visits between the two countries.
Mr. Ebienfa noted that the parties explored study tours and specialised training programmes in governance, administration, strategic communication, and public diplomacy, including initiatives coordinated by Chinese academic institutions such as Peking University.
The Chinese envoy described Nigeria as a key partner in Africa, commending the visibility of Chinese-supported projects across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
He expressed confidence that economic cooperation and technical support would continue to strengthen bilateral relations.
Plans were announced to commemorate the Chinese New Year and the anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and China, as well as a joint media engagement scheduled for February 10 to showcase achievements and deepen public understanding of the partnership.
Both sides agreed to maintain continuous engagement and collaboration to ensure that diplomatic and economic initiatives translate into tangible benefits for citizens in both countries.
