Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, on June 21, 2024, held talks with his Nigerian counterpart, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, in Beijing. The two foreign ministers also attended the first Plenary Session of the China-Nigeria Inter-Governmental Committee.
During the talks, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said Nigeria is a major African country with extensive influence and the sound development of China-Nigeria relations will serve as an example and a guide for China-Africa relations.
China, according to Wang, is ready to work with Nigeria as a good brother who supports each other, a good partner for mutual benefit, a good friend who upholds fairness and justice, and a good partner who upholds peace and stability.
“The two countries will work together to achieve development and revitalization, and elevate China-Nigeria and China-Africa relations to a new level,” Wang said during the parley.
On his part, Tuggar said Nigeria will continue to unswervingly adhere to the One-China principle and hopes to strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen strategic communication and carry out closer practical cooperation with China.
According to Tuggar, “Nigeria is willing to join hands with China to unite countries of the global South, uphold multilateralism, and safeguard fairness and justice.”
In the course of the engagements, the two sides also exchanged in-depth views on China-Africa cooperation and agreed to work together for fruitful outcomes of the new session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to be held in China this fall.
During the first plenary session, Wang noted that China-Nigeria Inter-governmental Committee has been at the forefront of China-Africa cooperation in promoting practical cooperation since its establishment more than three years ago.
China and Nigeria, according to Wang, are both major developing countries and should continue to build consensus and promote cooperation, inject new impetus into the development of China-Nigeria and China-Africa relations and make new contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Wang said.
“The two sides should adhere to the strategic positioning of bilateral relations and always regard each other as important strategic partners, carry forward the exemplary role of economic and trade cooperation and achieve coordinated development of cooperation in various fields so that the fruits of cooperation will benefit the common people,” Wang further said.
The China-Nigeria Inter-governmental Committee is the first inter-governmental committee mechanism established between China and African countries.