On Tuesday in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria discussed strategies to enhance bilateral relations for the benefit of their citizens. Both leaders agreed to establish a high-level collaborative community between Nigeria and China, aimed at a shared future.
This discussion followed President Tinubu’s official visit to China, which precedes his participation in the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation from September 4-6, 2024.
During the visit, President Tinubu emphasized the significance of the trip for Nigeria and Africa, highlighting his role as Chairman of ECOWAS. He expressed gratitude for the warm reception and stressed the importance of strengthening the longstanding relationship between China and Nigeria to boost trade and economic development.
Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s potential, noting its large population and strong economy, and described the relationship as evolving into a comprehensive developmental partnership. He underscored the need for robust development, stability, and security in West Africa.
Regarding economic reforms, President Tinubu affirmed his administration’s commitment to sustainable growth through effective reform implementation. He drew parallels between Nigeria’s reform efforts and China’s successful economic reforms, emphasizing a focus on improving tax, tariff, and other economic segments to facilitate trade and investment.
In response, President Xi praised the deep mutual understanding that has developed between the two countries over the past 50 years. He noted the importance of strategic coordination and cooperation between China and Nigeria to energize China-Africa relations and promote progress among Global South countries.
President Xi highlighted the 2024 FOCAC Summit as a key moment for reflecting on and strengthening China-Africa ties. He committed to continued close collaboration within the FOCAC framework as a model of international cooperation.
During the meeting, several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were signed, covering various areas of mutual interest, including:
- A cooperation plan for jointly promoting the Belt and Road Initiative
- An agreement on the peaceful application of nuclear energy
- An MOU on strengthening cooperation in human resource development under the Global Development Initiative
- An MOU on media exchange and cooperation, including one between China Media Group and the Nigerian Television Authority
