By Aidoghie Paulinus
On April 29, 2025, local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, met with Nigerian Foreign Minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, in Rio de Janeiro.
Wang Yi said that Nigeria is a large developing country and a significant member in the Global South, enjoying a great development potential and a promising future.
China, he also said, has always placed Nigeria in an important position in its overall diplomacy and relationship with Africa and firmly supports Nigeria in safeguarding its state sovereignty and national dignity, and in following a development path that suits its national conditions.
Wang further said China welcomed Nigeria as a partner country to attend the BRICS meeting and supports Nigeria in actively fulfilling its responsibilities as the rotating president of the Economic Community of West African States and playing a greater role in international and regional affairs.
He also said that Africa is an important pole in the multipolar world, saying that in the face of rampant unilateral protectionism, as well as increasing uncertainty and instability in the international situation, China is willing to work with African countries and other vast number of developing countries, including Nigeria, to jointly reject protectionism, oppose hegemony and bullying, and send a strong signal of upholding multilateralism and defending fairness and justice.
In his remarks, Tuggar said that Nigeria-China relations have a solid foundation.
Tuggar also said in recent years, the two countries have witnessed frequent exchanges at all levels and fruitful results of mutually beneficial cooperation.
He thanked the strong support provided by China for Nigeria’s economic and social development and expressed that Nigeria will continue to firmly abide by the one-China principle.
“Nigeria expects to jointly implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and accelerate Africa’s industrialization process,” Tuggar said.
Noting that China is the largest trading partner of West Africa, he said Nigeria appreciates the zero-tariff treatment given by China to the least developed African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, and expressed the hope that China will continue to provide support for the development of West Africa.
“Unilateral protectionism has become the biggest challenge faced by the international community currently. Nigeria appreciates China’s sense of responsibility as a major country and its leadership, and is ready to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to jointly uphold multilateralism and safeguard the common interests of the Global South,” Tuggar stated.