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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Cultural Counsellor, China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Yang Jianxing, has said that women are the bond of families, the cornerstone of society.
This was even as he said women are a vital force driving social development and progress around the globe.
Speaking during the ‘Happy Chinese New Year: Celebration of the Lantern Festival and China-Nigeria Women’s Carnival’ in Abuja, Yang also said that whether in China or Nigeria, millions of women are writing extraordinary chapters in their families, workplaces, and national development with resilience, wisdom, and responsibility.
He recalled that in October 2025, China, in cooperation with the United Nations (UN) Women, hosted the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing whereby Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the meeting and delivered an important speech.
“The meeting, themed “Shared Destiny: Accelerating the New Process of Women’s Comprehensive Development,” reaffirmed commitments, built consensus, and jointly planned for the future, achieving complete success.
“Over the past 30 years, China has earnestly implemented the Beijing Declaration of the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women, effectively protecting women’s rights. By the time the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women is held in Beijing in 2025, 690 million women in China have achieved a moderately prosperous society, the maternal mortality rate has decreased by nearly 80 percent women account for more than 40 percent of the total workforce, and women make up more than half of entrepreneurs in the internet sector,” Yang said.
He further said the figures not only highlight the tremendous development of women’s causes in China, but also demonstrate that without the development of women themselves and their outstanding contributions, China’s current tremendous development would not have been possible.
Yang stated that in 2026, the Chinese government is willing to work with Nigeria to continue to earnestly implement the outcomes of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, solidly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state during the summit, build more exchange platforms, promote cultural exchanges between China and Nigeria, and strengthen experience sharing and cooperation in areas such as gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Also speaking, the Head of Office and Representative, UNESCO Office Abuja, Jean-Paul Ngome Abiaga, said as the International Women’s Day draws closer, the celebration takes on even deeper meaning.
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“We gather not only to honour tradition, but to celebrate the strength, leadership and achievements of Chinese and Nigerian women, and to reaffirm the growing partnership between two nations in advancing women’s development. At UNESCO, our two global priorities are Africa and Gender Equality. Today, those priorities come alive before us,” the UNESCO representative said.
While also saying that the carnival, with its concert, exhibitions and cultural tasting, is far more than an event, the UNESCO envoy added that it was a platform for genuine people-to-people exchange.
“As we admire the elegance of Chinese calligraphy alongside the vibrancy of Nigerian textiles, and as we taste traditional delicacies from both cultures, we recognize a shared truth: culture reveals our uniqueness, but it also reminds us of our common humanity. And in every society, we move forward when women and girls are empowered.
“Both China and Nigeria, as influential global actors and major economies, have made meaningful strides in advancing gender equality. In China, women now account for more than half of university students, and their leadership continues to expand across science, technology and public life. These are not isolated examples; they reflect a clear understanding that women’s participation is not optional — it is essential to national vitality and innovation. Such lessons resonate far beyond national borders,” the UNESCO scribe stated.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Mukhtar Yanale Muhammad, said the robust cooperation in culture and tourism-through exhibitions, festivals, and exchange programmes have opened new doors of opportunity for both countries.
Muhammad also said the cooperation has given women from both sides a global stage to showcase their immense talents and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
“But let me be clear: this is just the beginning.
“As we celebrate tonight, I want to make a firm pledge on behalf of the Federal Ministry. We are deeply committed to elevating these ties. We will not rest on our laurels. We will implement policies that accelerate our progress in cultural exchanges, that empower our women to lead in the digital economy, and that expand our tourism frontiers,” Muhammad said.
