BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with China to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative.
News Rider reports that Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) also known in China as the One Belt One Road is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese
government in 2013 to invest in more than 150 countries and international organisations.
The BRI consists of six urban development land corridors linked by road, rail, energy, and digital infrastructure and the Maritime Silk Road linked by the development of ports, though Nigeria had signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China in 2018.
Other MoU's signed include: 'Cooperation in the peaceful application of Nuclear Energy'; 'Strengthening cooperation on Human Resource Development under the Global Development Initiative'; 'Media Exchange and Cooperation', as well as 'Between China Media Group and the Nigerian Television Authority.'
These clearly manifested during a high-level talks between Tinubu and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in Beijing, China.
The President announced that the ties between Nigeria and China would lead to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Tinubu’s official visit to China precedes his participation in the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation holding from September 4-6, 2024.
"This is an important visit for Nigeria and the rest of Africa, as I arrive in my capacity as the Chairman of ECOWAS. I thank you for the high-level of honour accorded to us.
"Relations between China and Nigeria have indeed lasted for over half a century and should be further strengthened to advance our trade and economic development programmes.
"Nigeria holds great potential as the country with the largest population in Africa and is the biggest economy with a very young population that can drive economic growth and cross-sectoral programmes.
"We have upgraded the relationship to more than what is just strategic — but a comprehensive developmental partnership.
"This comprehensive strategic partnership should result in robust development, stability, and security in the West African sub-region. This is very crucial," Tinubu said.
On economic reforms in Nigeria, Tinubu informed his Chinese counterpart that his administration remains committed to sustainable growth through effective implementation of ongoing economic reforms.
"We believe that President Xi has demonstrably reformed the Chinese economy, and our reform programme in Nigeria is on a similar course. I am a reformer with verifiable antecedents.
"We have recognised the need to reform our economy, and we are doing so diligently across tax and tariff reviews, to various other segments of our nation’s economy.
"Trading and investment partners will have easy access to bring in their investments and seamlessly take their resources out," he stated.
President Xi highlighted the strong mutual understanding between Nigeria and China since the establishment of diplomatic ties over the past 50 years.
"We have found the path of seeking collective strength, through unity, and win-win cooperation.
"China and Nigeria, as major developing countries, strengthening strategic coordination, will inject fresh impetus to China-Africa relations in the new era and spearhead common progress among Global South countries,” President Xi said.
The Chinese president pointed out that the 2024 FOCAC Summit provides an opportunity to reflect on mutual friendships and advance the consolidation of China-Africa relations.
He pledged that China and Nigeria would continue to work closely within the FOCAC framework as a model of cooperation between nations.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale on Tuesday in Abuja.
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