China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has commended Nigeria’s significant role in promoting peace and development in Africa, describing the country as “a major African country with global influence” and “an important member of the global South”. This praise came during his meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, in Abuja on Thursday.
Wang Yi’s visit to Nigeria is part of his traditional first overseas trip of the new year, focusing on discussing the implementation of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing meeting’s common understandings, particularly the 10 partnership actions. He emphasized the importance of Nigeria-China relations, stating that China views and develops its relationship with Nigeria from a strategic and long-term perspective.
The Chinese Foreign Minister also highlighted the achievements of Nigeria-China cooperation, including the success of the Intergovernmental Committee meeting in Beijing and President Tinubu’s visit to China for the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Nigeria’s contributions to the summit’s success were commended by China.
In response, Ambassador Tuggar reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with China, acknowledging the rich history of mutual respect and cooperation between the two nations. He expressed Nigeria’s desire to learn from China’s experiences and deepen bilateral engagement in areas such as trade facilitation, capacity building, and people-to-people exchanges.
The two countries have agreed to upgrade their relationship from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership, aiming to further strengthen bilateral ties and promote cooperation in areas like trade, investment, and infrastructure development
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