During a meeting at the Great Hall in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his enthusiasm to collaborate closely with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to fully harness the potential of the China-Nigeria diplomatic friendship and advance China-Africa cooperation. This meeting took place ahead of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, scheduled for September 4-6 in Beijing, to which President Tinubu was invited by President Xi.
President Xi highlighted the half-century-long diplomatic relationship between China and Nigeria, characterized by mutual understanding, collective strength, unity, and win-win cooperation. He proposed elevating bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, leveraging the upcoming FOCAC summit as an opportunity to strengthen China-Africa relations.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude for the invitation, noting his previous visit to China as Governor of Lagos and his current visit as President. He acknowledged the long-standing China-Nigeria relations and the potential for enhanced trade and economic development.
The meeting concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on various cooperation initiatives, including Belt and Road projects, news exchange, and television cooperation. President Tinubu was accompanied by a delegation comprising Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Senator Uba Sani, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara, and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna, among others.
