President Tinubu and China’s Xi Jinping Forge Stronger Ties, Sign Five Strategic Agreements

President Bola Tinubu met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 3 at the Great Hall in Beijing, China, to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and China. During this high-level meeting, the two leaders discussed key areas of cooperation and signed five significant Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) aimed at enhancing collaboration in various sectors.

As part of his official visit to China, President Tinubu also inspected a guard of honor alongside President Xi. The visit coincides with the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will take place from September 4 to 6. FOCAC is a crucial platform for fostering partnerships between China and African nations, held every three years.

The five MOUs signed between Nigeria and China focus on the following areas:

1. Belt and Road Initiative: Joint promotion of development projects under China’s global infrastructure strategy.
2. Nuclear Energy Cooperation: Collaborative efforts in the peaceful application of nuclear energy.
3. Human Resource Development: Strengthening cooperation on capacity building and human resource development.
4. Media Collaboration: Enhancing media exchange and cooperation between the two countries.
5. Broadcasting Partnership: An agreement between China Media Group and the Nigerian Television Authority to boost media cooperation.

President Tinubu stressed the importance of these agreements in advancing Nigeria’s economic development and trade relations with China. He highlighted ongoing reforms in Nigeria, aimed at making the country more attractive for investment and facilitating easier access for trade.

President Xi Jinping welcomed the deepening of ties between China and Nigeria, emphasizing that the two countries share a long-standing relationship of over 50 years. He expressed optimism that this strengthened partnership will bring new energy to China-Africa relations and support the collective progress of developing nations.

This visit continues the tradition of cooperation between Nigeria and China, building on previous agreements signed during the administrations of former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, which focused on infrastructure development and economic growth.