By Joyce Babayeju
The new Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai has said that China is actively preparing for Nigerian President Tinubu’s state visit to China next month and also to attend the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Conference billed to be held in Beijing from Sept. 4 to 6. Ambassador You Dunhai
said this in a statement made available to press on Monday 19, August 2024.
The upcoming FOCAC summit in Beijing, like others before it will convene senior African and Chinese representatives to discuss the future direction of Sino-African cooperation. The 2024 summit themed: “Joining hands to advance modernisation and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future” will have leaders of African member states, representatives of relevant African regional and other organisations, as well as international organisations, in attendance.
According to Ambassador Dunhai the FOCAC would afford Chinese and African leaders to jointly plan for their future development: ” Chinese and African leaders will jointly plan future China-Africa development after the previous summit held six years ago. Currently we are actively preparing for President Tinubu’s state visit to China and his attendance of the Summit in September along with our Nigerian colleagues. I am confident that with our joint efforts, President Tinubu’s visit is certainly to deepen our cooperation in such fields as industry, agriculture, infrastructure, financing, poverty reduction, technological innovation, digital development and blue economy, upgrading and expanding the depth and width of China-Nigeria cooperation, and bring more benefits to our two peoples”. He said.
The Chinese Ambassador also reiterated the role the Nigerian President is expected to play as Chairman of the regional block of EVOWAS, “President Tinubu, as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), will also discuss with Chinese and African leaders about China-Africa cooperation and development”
He noted that China’s development plays an important role for the stability and prosperity of a multi-polar world, while assuring that China will continue to support Nigeria’s social and economic development with concrete actions, and share Chinese development benefits with the Nigeria.
While expressing readiness to work with Nigerian friends from government bodies, the National Assembly, the business community, the media, think-tanks, etc., and visiting different states in Nigeria, and gaining more insights into its history, ethnic cultures and local custom; “with the support of my like-minded Nigerian friends”, he also assured of working to contribute to the resilient relations between China and Nigeria, ” to the profound friendship between our two peoples, and to the building of a high-level China-Nigeria community with a shared future.
